HI! My mom, Becky Welch, has agreed to let me share another of her devotions. Being a good southern girl, kudzu is really close to my heart… so this one spoke straight to my heart! (My very hip mom is on Facebook, so you can friend her here: http://www.facebook.com/#!/becky.welch.5817 . Now if I can just get her on Twitter!)
Are you Hiding Anything in “Kudzu”?
Kudzu , also known as “a foot a night vine”, grows in abundance behind my house. It’s terrible! It grows around trees and pretty much “chokes them to death”! It’s very thick in the area that it grows and the Good Lord only knows what might be living in there!
Several years ago my husband and I were cutting the grass and making sure the Kudzu wasn’t invading our yard. I looked out over the area where it was growing and saw something orange. Actually I saw many “orange somethings”! Now remember I said we don’t know what might be living in all that foliage! I had no intention of wading through it, not even to see what those orange things were! My husband on the other hand, had no reservations about investigating! Needless to say he went by himself! Guess what the orange things were? They were huge pumpkins! Probably at some time a “jack-o-lantern” had been tossed into the kudzu…out of sight…and the seeds had grown into pumpkins. Wow, that was a surprise! Something we thought would just go away and not be noticed took root and grew really big…and multiplied!!
Isn’t that how sin is? If we try to hide it or just plain ignore it, it will probably grow and multiply! It will eventually show itself, maybe in a much larger form, because nothing is interfering with its growth. Obviously, trying to hide it is not the answer so I want to quote one of my favorite “down home personalities”, Barney Fife…
“Nip it in the bud! “
Makes since to me!
pic of Kudzu “Bear” I took in West Jefferson NC
Never heard of Kudzu but good analogy…thanks!
Ooooh – kudzu is wild. The picture above is an example of how kudzu can take over anything!
Donna,
Your mom bakes like a dream and writes with a passion even Kudzu must envy. And where has Jackie been? We need to give a tour of Kudzu country.
I agree, Linda… about everything you said!
Barney always says it best! Great devotional. Your mom did good, Donna!
Hi Beth! I think my mom is pretty fantastic. But then again… I’m a little biased.
As ususal, Becky said it just right.God is using her again to stress a point. This is exactily what we are discussing in our book study in our sunday school class. Can’t wait to share it next Sunday.
Hi Aunt Goosey! I’m glad this spoke to you. I know it spoke to me!
Like daughter, like mother. OR visa versa. Either way– enjoyed the blog!
I’m glad you liked it. She writes devotions several days a week. I am always encouraged by the way God speaks through her!
Now I know where all this talent is coming from … great reflection. And Amen to nipping sin in the bud. But I am a witness to nipping sin when it is in full flower. It can be done with the Grace of God.
Amen to YOUR comment, too! God’s grace is so much bigger than our sin. Soo much bigger than our imagination. And I am so thankful He loved me enough to love me… even in my sin!
Beautiful devotional piece. Thanks so much to Becky, and thanks, Donna for sharing it here.
Wonderful thoughts. It seems, Donna, that you must have inherited your amazing way with words.
Blessings,
Jean
Thank you all so much for the encouraging comments! It is always a blessing when my sweet talented baby asks to put something of mine on her blog! I’m so proud of her!
Hey MAMA! I love you and I’m proud of you, too!
Donna and sweet Donna Mama, thanks for sharing!! I loved the message. I also thought of another analogy…that sometimes in the midst of something bad we find something good…if we’re looking for it.
Love to you both!
I agree! Mom and I were talking about that the other day. Tons of great messages can come from that memory. Love how God can use one thing and speak to us where we are!