BLOOM WHERE YOU’RE PLANTED!

I am ashamed to admit this; but I, as a contributing writer for the North Valley News, am guilty of not turning in my articles on time! If you “happened across” our last issue and read my article, you definitely noticed it to be an article from a previous edition of our newsletter. The explanation or excuse for my tardiness is this: my son and my son-in-law continuously tease me about my opening statements every month. I usually begin with comments such as, “Can you believe school is out?” or “It’s that time of the year again!”

Without being redundant, and not wanting to cause either of them disappointment, let me say, “Can you believe it is August already?” Time certainly flies when you’re having fun! We have experienced a wonderful summer, and I trust you have enjoyed yours as well. One of the events that was thrilling for me recently was to have my brother DeWayne and his wife Gail fly out to visit us. It had been twenty-nine years since they were last here. We had a great time! I wasn’t ready for them to head home, and I was actually “bummed out” the day they left. You know the feeling, right? The one thing that lifted my spirits that day was thinking about and looking forward to Pastor’s and my annual vacation together. Palm Springs-here we come!

In fact, this article is being penned from Palm Springs. I am sitting with my feet propped up, sipping a glass of ice water, and enjoying the panoramic view from our air-conditioned room! Why? Because it is 108 degrees outside, and anyone with good sense at all wouldn’t be out in this heat! So why Palm Springs? Pastor loves the heat! Again, I have sacrificed for my better half! Just knowing he is enjoying this extreme heat makes me happy. (Really, it does.)

As I run (literally) from the car to whatever air-conditioned place of business, you can hear comments like, “How do people actually live here?” or “I’m so glad I’m saved!” Pastor has reminded me several times in the last couple of days that we have wonderful missionaries and pastor friends that are serving the Lord in extreme heat and humidity. I am more appreciative for where I am geographically located than ever before. Our average temperature is 72 degrees-praise the Lord!

Although I have been prone to grumble every now and again about the “asphalt jungle,” I am very thankful for where God has placed us. I’ve had to learn to “bloom where I am planted!” I might prefer grass to concrete and cornfields to traffic, but that is not where God has placed us. And I shudder to think where thousands of people from the Bay Area would be had it not been for the North Valley Baptist Church.

How about you? Are you allowing God to use you where you are? In light of the Lord’s imminent return, may each one of us “keep on keeping on.” Streets of gold, gates of pearl, and mansions of rare beauty will keep us blissfully happy for eternity. The greatest thrill will be to behold the face of our dear Savior and our loved ones awaiting us. Join me in “blooming where you are planted” today. You will be so glad you did!

Until next month,
Mrs. T.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cindie Trieber has served the people of North Valley Baptist Church for more than three decades as the Pastor’s Wife. She teaches in the college and is a godly mother and “Nana." She recently completed her first book entitled With All My Heart.