Written by Brenda, married to Winston and mother of Cassandra.
They live on the outskirts of London. Aside from being experts at moving homes, they have also been through a process of home educating Cassandra.
My childhood was spent in a small town in North Borneo. Much has happened since. By the grace of God, I am now a global citizen. I have visited 193 cities in 28 countries. Since marrying, I have established 11 different homes in 5 different countries. I have even moved our entire home from one country to another, within 24 hours notice.
Yet, in the summer of 2006, after we had just moved in to our new home in Watford, England; I was staring at the mud patch that was called ‘my garden’. It was overgrown with weeds. Despite the many homes that we have stayed in, we had only been urban apartment dwellers and we had no experience or skill on how to manage a garden. Finally, I built up the determination to go out to pull the weeds. It took weeks! English weeds are evil!!
By the time I had finished, there were 10 full garden bags of pulled weeds. There were days that I ended up sitting on the mud/soil/earth/dirt whilst pulling out the weeds. It was painful and agonising.
I recalled that at that time, I questioned God about my life.
What is my destiny?
What is my calling?
Who am I?
What is the purpose of Him creating me?
What followed were streams – Streams of endless questions, tears and silence – and one conclusion.
Surely God has a plan for me.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV
the floor and toilets and serving endless meals. I must be destined for more. But I don’t seem to do more.
It has been 3 years since my first weed clearing experience in the UK which I mentioned above. My garden has gone through much transformation and I am pleased with the gradual changes.
I have tulips, lavender, pansies, roses and even raspberries and grapes.
Picture courtesy of Brenda, my prayer partner before she relocated to UK.
Just last week, an old friend of mine whom I have known for 13 years surprised me when she told me how envious she was of me – that I seemed to ‘have it all’. I suppose she wasn’t there when my tears were rolling down my cheeks whilst pulling out the 10 bags of weeds. Would she have been envious of me then?
To be continued.......Part 2 Did Mary Pull Weeds.
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