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Friday, May 11, 2012

SEEDS OF FAITH




One day back when Mom was Mommy, a golden chain winked at me from the corner of her jewelry box. As I lifted it into the air, a glass locket, set free from the velvet cushion came to rest in my small hand. A tiny yellow seed rested inside, so out of place nestled amid my mother’s sparkling treasures.

“What is this?” I asked.

Mom took me onto her knee, sharing the locket between our hands. “It’s a mustard seed.”

I wrinkled my nose. “Like in the big yellow bottle?”

Mother laughed. “Grandma gave me this necklace to remind me of Jesus. The mustard seed is one of the smallest seeds,” she said. “But it becomes one of the largest plants in a garden.”

My eyes widened.

“Jesus said that if we have faith as small as a mustard seed,” Mom continued, “we can tell the mountain to move and it will.”

That seemed like a lot of power in a little faith.

The necklace has been lost. But my mother brought Jesus’ parable to life that day. Even when my faith feels small, it is enough.

…if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. (Matthew 17:20)


PRAYER: Heavenly Father, please take my seed of faith and grow it into a great big plant with branches, leaves, fruit and deep, deep roots. Amen.

WHAT ABOUT YOU? How can you nourish your seed of faith today?


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This month the Christian Writers are sharing thoughts about the theme “nurture” in honor of Mother’s Day. Please click on their links to the right on the appropriate days and read what they have to say.

I wrote this post to honor my mother and the way her faith has nurtured my own.


18 comments:

Pegg Thomas said...

What a beautiful memory! Several years ago a bought a similar necklace for a sister-in-law at Christmas. I love what it symbolizes. :)

From Carols Quill said...

@ Pegg - after writing this, I've been thinking about getting myself a necklace. LOL

E. G. Lewis said...

Ah yes, the famous mustard seed in a glass necklace...you still see them in Christian stores. I've often pointed out a contradiction to my children - When we can't decipher something small, we bring it closer. But, the events in our life become clearer the farther away we get from them. I appreciate my mother more and more as I grow older, even though she's been gone for many years.
Peace and Blessings

chris said...

Cool story Carol !!

I'm nourishing today by spending extra time with God... I'm also trying to focus on nurturing the relationships that God has blessed me with... very thankful!!

Tracy Krauss said...

How cool! Was this an actual event in your life? If so, I'm wondering who has the necklace now. It would be an awesome keepsake.

From Carols Quill said...

@ E.G. Yes, I've seen them online. Have thought about getting one. Maybe I should! Thanks for stopping by.

From Carols Quill said...

@ Chris - enjoy the nurturing!

From Carols Quill said...

@ Tracy - yes, this happened but I'm afraid the necklace was lost or stolen some years back. Alas.

Bill Jones said...

Very lovely - thanks for sharing the memory.

Deborah K. Anderson said...

Beautiful post, Carol. Without that tiny seed of faith, there's not much to nurture.

I just thought of something else. Although you can no longer see the necklace, you still cling to what your mother told you, just as we have to do with faith.

Unknown said...

I always wanted one of those necklaces as a kid, but never got one. The picture remained in my heart long after, the desire was gone. Thank you Carol for another reminder that from that tiny seed, grows an awesome plant- it certainly does.
Now I've got to add that piece of jewelry to my "wish list" LOL

Peace and Blessings!

From Carols Quill said...

@ Deborah - that's a great way to think about faith--clinging to what is not seen; but known. Thanks for that.

From Carols Quill said...

@ Terrie - I've been tempted to get a necklace, too. Maybe we could get a group discount!

SandiGrace said...

What a nice memory! I've always loved that parable, probably because my faith has always been so small. The mustard seed gives me hope. :)

From Carols Quill said...

@ SandiGrace - what a joy to watch your small faith grow large!

Christine L.Henderson said...

I think as a child I had one of these necklaces, though it has long since disappeared. However the meaning of it still stays with me to help remind me to help nurture my faith to grow big.

From Carols Quill said...

@ Christine - so where do these necklaces disappear to, I wonder. Mom's disappeared, too. Maybe we only get to have them until we understand the parable behind them. :-)

Traci B said...

Wonderful way to honor your mother and remind us to nurture our mustard seed faith, Carol. Sorry I didn't read and comment sooner, but I'm glad I was able to get to it today. I enjoyed this post very much and could picture the scene you described. :)