Life Seedlings

Ruth Dueker, my mother in law, taught me many lessons. One of them was to seed your lawn with new seed each year. She lived near Pasadena, CA and so she seeded the lawn in winter there.

Here in Idaho, we have a rainy day so I have gone out and seeded my lawn in some bare spots. I think of America and the importance of seeding truth in children the lawn for them is filled with large places for planting truth. Biblical knowledge is very low. Confusion is high.

Ruth understood the importance of mission work. She prayed for and supported the Fuller Seminary students. I saw their pictures on her refrigerator. She and husband, Ken, listened to Christian radio stations and teachers, when they couldn't attend church.

Ruth was a quiet mentor and a good mentor. She listened to me at the beginning of Project Lost Sheep. The first out of town meeting was held in her house with her care giver and one of her best friends who became a faithful intercessor for us. Another friend, the church secretary also laid foundations in prayer for LA.

Ruth prayed for me and all of her children. Her faith got acted out in casseroles for the sick, being faithful in prayer. She was on the prayer team and got a letter each week from her church. She put Project Lost Sheep on the list and for years we got help.

"I take this work seriously" she told me as she opened the weekly letter filled with requests.

From Ruth I learned that prayer was important in an ongoing way. I needed prayer. People needed to be lifted up. Being loving involved knowing needs and being faithful in interceding.

One time I had a real trouble getting from San Francisco down to visit Ruth. Instead of an easy flight to Burbank, I had to wait hours to get a flight to LAX. When I finally arrived my luggage was not there. Tired and hungry, without luggage I got on a shuttle across town arriving around bedtime.

Ruth had home made split pea soup and was waiting. I ate and relaxed. We chatted. The luggage was supposed to arrive sometime in the middle of night.

"Do you want me to wait up for it " ? She asked. I laughed and said the luggage would be fine on the front porch.

That was Ruth. She put herself in my place. She planted so many seeds in me that I keep realising that her seeds have grown into a lawn in my life. Who has planted good seed in your life? Can you be an example for a little one in faith and charity?