Friday, June 22, 2012

Planting Seeds and Growing Lives

How does your garden grow?  I’m not talking about flowers to admire or home grown vegetables to eat. Instead, I’m thinking about the positive influence senior adults can have on the younger generations. Two examples come to mind. This is the week for Vacation Bible School at our church. The parking lot swarms with parents bringing their children for a jam-packed week of Bible stories, crafts, music, and missions. Charles directs the cars in and out each day to ensure everyone’s safety. Then 160 eager faces approach me at the registration table to wait for a name tag. Monday is nerve wracking as I scramble to find each child’s class assignment. As I observe the children’s activities, I ask myself, “Did I ever have that much energy?”  It makes me grateful for those older caring adults who spent hours planting the seeds of God’s love in my life so many years ago when I attended VBS.
For the past ten years, our aerospace engineering company, Consulting Aviation Services, has offered a mentoring program to high school seniors interested in engineering and aviation. Charles is very eager to pass along his vast knowledge in the field of mathematics and aviation to the next generation.  Numerous students have earned course credit and valuable experience as they worked on projects for our company. All of our interns graduate high school with highest honors and go on to advanced studies in college. Planting seeds in the fertile ground of the next generation reaps a fruitful harvest and makes our lives richer and more rewarding.

7 comments:

  1. Miracle Floor CareJune 23, 2012 at 12:52 PM

    "I am no role model"one of the many dumb things Charles Barkley has said. Bulleye on the seed planting! We all are planting seeds, good or bad every minute of every day! Thanks for sharing your lives and the role model you and Charles are to many!

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  2. Another interesting and inspiring blog. We plan seeds in children & adults around us each & every day. What a privilege & also reminder that we need to be on guard less we plan the wrong seed.
    SMB

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  3. Frieda; You put into words so much of the way I felt last week during VBS. I enjoyed reading your touching description of the children and events. It was good to learn more about Charles' mentoring of future engineers and aviators. The two of you have much to share. I look forward to upcoming blog entries. Lorraine Roote

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  4. I loved loving on those kids last week! You are right about that making our lives more rewarding. The more we give in this way, the more our own hearts are filled.

    The mentoring program you two have through your company sounds like a terrific opportunity. I had not heard about that. Great idea!

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  5. Good job. Maybe someone else will be inspired.

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  6. I love reading your work, you are quite talented. I am sure you and Charles only planted "good" seeds for these young folks.

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  7. Love your blog Frieda! We just finished VBX at our church last week and I remember being so excited for that week as a child. And I am just as excited about that week now as an adult.

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