From the time she was a little girl, I had my granddaughter, Lana, beside me in the garden. At first all she wanted to do was play in the dirt but it didn't take long for her to catch the passion of watching seeds spring to life. Every year she would help me plant and water the garden and I loved the joy on her face as she picked the products of her labor…now, she didn't eat the vegetables, she just loved growing them! In the past two years, life has changed. I no longer have the big garden and Lana has moved far away. Last year before she moved, I was desperate to hang on to our tradition so I bought a couple of big pots and tomato plants. I had her plant them before she left and for the first time, the plants didn't make it. For me, it felt like a mirror to my soul. This year I had decided not to plant anything. I adopted the attitude that it was no use. It would never be the same without sharing it with Lana. That attitude showed me I was still grieving. Grief is something that never goes away. It's important you recognize it because you can make steps to go forward and not stay stuck in one place. I didn't know how to do this but God who is so rich in mercy, showed me the way. It turned out that Lana came up for a couple of weeks this summer. I had her for three days. While she was here, I got those big flower pots and checked my seed supply. Among the packets, I found a little plastic bag with the words “watermelon seeds” that contained two seeds that Lana had saved a few years before. She got all excited and insisted we plant them. I didn't have the heart to tell her they probably would not grow. She planted her precious seeds and went back home with me promising I would water them. Shortly after she left, I went on a trip and was gone for two weeks. My sister faithfully watered them but sadly nothing happened. I felt bad as I had hoped to be proven wrong and we could've shared a “garden” once more. I ended up stirring the dirt around and sprinkled a few flower seeds on the top. In just a few days, I saw a sprout. It was definitely not a flower. It was a watermelon! One of Lana's seeds had come to life and with it the part of me that had been grieving came to life also. It gave me hope. It's been a month since that seed came to life. I forgot how fast things can grow. I've taken pictures of it to send to Lana and it's obvious how it grew overnight. This morning I looked out and a flower had appeared on the plant…a promise of something yet to be. I couldn't wait to tell Lana! Will we get a watermelon? I don't know but that's not what's the most important. I'm holding to the fact that God knew the heart of a grandmother who was grieving something she thought was dead but brought it back to life in a new way. A good way. As I was writing this, I forgot to mention that I wrote a children's book for Lana so she would remember all the time we spent together in the garden. At that time, I didn't even remember I had those watermelon seeds. This is the closing paragraph: “We had lots of good vegetables from our garden this year. I hope I can help GiGi next year. Maybe we can plant watermelon!” Coincidence? No. It was a hug from God showing how much He loves me and Lana. That's what I want Lana to remember. That's the legacy. Update: Since I wrote this story a few months ago, we did get a couple of watermelons! It has been a joy to share this with Lana. I told her I would try and find a way to ship one to to her!

When the unexpected comes, it's like a thief in the night and it's times like these that you need the love and support of those around you. We've all been there. The phone rings with the news you never wanted to hear. Your child suddenly decides to turn his back on you. The test results come back with something you never hoped to face. But no matter what, there's always a choice and there's always hope. You may be in a place right now where you don't know what to do. It's out of your hands and you don't have control. That's where I am. Back in the 90s I had a brain tumor. It was benign but the surgery was dangerous and I developed complications that were life threatening. God in His mercy brought me through and gave me my life back. I thought that chapter of my life was closed. If you've walked this journey with me, you know I've had a health issue that resulted in my getting an mri. The results showed that there is a possibility that the brain tumor is back. It knocked me for a loop and I found myself fighting for any semblance of control. I spent most of the day frantically making phone calls and sending messages to my doctors and trying to set up the second mri, but it wasn't until I listened to the still small voice that said, “Be still, and know that I am God,” that I felt peace. After that moment, things started coming together and fell into place. All of this has made me even more thankful for my dear prayer warriors that have stood beside me through so many of life's challenges. It's times like these that we need to let our guard down and reach out to those around us so they can pray. It has made all the difference. My prayer today for you is this: Lord, when life gets hard and doesn't make sense. Help us to remember we don't carry our burdens alone. You are always there and you hear the prayers from us and for us. Give us the strength we need to walk along these unexpected paths and help us to see Your light in the darkness. Thank you Lord for never giving up on us. In Jesus’ name I pray. m.