A Crown of Weeds

Today is my four-year anniversary as a full-time missionary with Family Missions Company. I thought of several ways to celebrate/give thanks only to find myself overwhelmed with all the possibilities. However, after Mass this morning, I felt the Lord gently reminding me to not worry about planning anything but to just leave it all up to Him. With His Eucharistic grace, I agreed. Shortly after returning home, I noticed a group of children waiting outside for me.

I invited them in and shyly they entered the cottage. The two girls kept hiding something behind their back and were reluctant to show me. Instead, they first asked for my student companion, Teresa, whom they referred to as “Ate ‘Say.” When Teresa finally joined us, both girls slowly presented us with beautifully weaved crowns which they had hand-made out of freshly-picked weeds.

Weeds?? Who would’ve imagined that they could be made into something so beautiful? “Who asked you to make this? Was this for a school project?” I asked. To our surprise, no one had asked them; on their own they just felt inspired to make us these precious gifts.

How timely that these girls visited and gifted us with such beautiful creations today of all days. Only God would’ve inspired them to do so… It’s silly how I always think God wants me to do something for HIM when in actuality it is He who is always and already doing something for ME… to purify me, to sanctify me, and to bless me. Thus, I can only appreciate this morning’s visit from the children as God’s way of greeting me, “Happy anniversary, my beautiful beloved.” I may be like the ugly weed, but in His loving hands I can be made beautiful.