Here comes another gardening analogy!

So to preserve my herb garden throughout winter, I replanted cuttings of each kind. I've got 2 mint plants, a basil, thyme, and a basically dead sage plant.

I put them in my sunny windowsill, and most of them have done quite well at adjusting.

One day, I noticed a mysterious sprout growing in my thyme pot. It was small, fuzzy and green. It didn't seem to be taking up much room, so I just left it alone for awhile out of curiosity.

Well it grew. One day, I decided it had gotten too big and might be interfering with the thyme. So I plucked it out, roots and all. I was about to throw it away. My hand was over the garbage can. But then I thought, "Hey, why not see what this grows into? It can't hurt."

I plucked it away from certain death and put it in a water planted to develop it's roots. After finally getting big enough to recognize and pot, I realized what I had.

A single tomato seed had sprouted in my thyme pot.

Now it's healthier than ever, growing taller every day. I still have no idea what type it is yet, but I guess time will tell.

So this brings me to the religious comparison. In the gospel, and in life, we often have circumstances and people enter our lives that seem like burdens or inconveniences. We might mistake flowers for weeds.

But if we take the time, if we pray for understanding and acceptance, we can begin to see the divine purpose for our situation. Unforseen blessings, chances to grow as people, opportunities to bring others closer to you and to God.

My best friend today is someone that I thought would never be seen with me. She's the smart, sporty, go getter type. But when I actually tried a friendship, it worked better than either of us ever expected.

So I will watch my tomato plant, friends, and life for further blessings and opportunities.