Inspiration

Aug-Sept 2013 I was surprised and honored when my pastor invited me to take a leadership class. Leadership isn’t something I gravitate towards, but I said yes. We were asked to create a personal vision. Great! I already had one. Up until now, I had only shared my vision for my backyard with a few people. Sharing it with the class was another opportunity to exercise faith.

From our leadership handbook

When it came to setting goals and creating an action plan, I was lost. How could I move forward with limited resources? Not just financial, but I lacked skills and physical capabilities to "leap over tall buildings". I'm no super-woman and wasn’t used to big dreams and big faith; but the wonderful wise teachers were. They were encouraging and threw out ideas that went beyond my short-sighted thinking. The scene is still fresh in my mind: sitting around the large conference table, we brain-stormed. When John, my pastor, threw out the idea of an irrigation system and outdoor lighting as goals for my project, my response was disbelief. That seemed so out of reach, I hadn’t even thought of it. How small was my faith and imagination! He believed it could happen, and that raised the possibilities to a new level.

My attempt at a garden plan

With strengthened faith and fresh eyes, I wrote down some new goals and a plan to accomplish them. I thought it was just words on paper until Phil, one of the deacons, offered hands-on help. A couple of young men he was mentoring needed a project. All I had to do was rent a ditch-witch and they would provide the labor to dig trenches for plumbing and electricity. Julian, an electrician friend also taking the class, said he would give me a discounted price for his services. I could hardly believe it.

I wasn't prepared. I had no plan and hadn't thought seriously about lights and water because I didn't have the resources to pay for it. But I wasn't going to turn down the help, so we forged ahead.

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