May 26

I tried to plant a garden this year. I really did. But Brady decided to help me. And, well, if you have kids (or have ever spent time with a two-year old), you know how that turned out. Still, despite Brady's help, this single tomato plant persevered and is currently flowering in my garden box:

This poor thing has been through so much. It was born of a seed from a tomato plant I grew last summer, a volunteer if you will, and I didn't even notice it was there until it was nearly nine inches tall. Despite the fact that it got almost no water (I didn't know it was there, after all, and Northern CA hasn't seen much rain this year) and Brady spent hours digging all around it with his little spade, it grew. And by all outward appearances, it thrived.

I think God works like that, too. He takes people who haven't had the best experiences and makes their lives fruitful anyway. And that's such a good thing.