Unexpected Harvest

…and we should be thankful for that

Stomach bugs. Unexpected expenses. Cancelled plans. Surprise conflicts. Missed opportunities. Unfulfilled expectations. All things we likely never planted that we found ourselves harvesting. 

It can be so easy to complain when we start harvesting junk in our lives and businesses that we never planted. In fact, sometimes we reap things that we aggressively worked A G A I N S T growing. 

On the contrary, how many wonderful things have we harvested that we didn't do the work to receive? That organic introduction to our best client ever? Health in our home despite poor choices? Forgiveness when we've been rotten? Renewals when we've underdelivered? Grace when we've dropped the ball? Positive outcomes without any kind of process?

We actually don't want to only harvest what we've sown. 

You may be walking through a season where everything you're experiencing is the opposite of what you planted. Cue the simple reminder that most of our life is entirely outside of our control, but how we respond to it is within our control

This last week was Spring Break and boy did it keep on breaking.  

I worked hard to take time off. We made a list. We set our intentions. We did the right things to prepare. And then all the things we didn't prep for (#thegreatstomachbugof2024) happened. So many unexpected and unplanned for {trying} moments.  However, in the midst of all the chaos were beautiful, unexpected moments - things I also didn't prepare for. 

One in particular brought me to tears.

I thank God for that moment of sweetness I never could have done enough to receive. Unmerited kindness out of nowhere - not as a direct result of anything I did. A harvest I didn't plant. 

It was a tangible reminder that I am thankful things are outside of my control. I'm thankful that I can influence many outcomes I experience, but I don't guarantee or control them. I'm thankful I don't just get what I plant. The pressure we'd collectively experience if we could control it all would be too much for us to actually enjoy anything. 

Maybe we need to stop being so aggressive in our planting. Maybe there's some peace available to us if we let go of the white-knuckling we are doing on the seeds.  Maybe there's opportunity for us to plant more intentionally, but even more opportunity for us to become better harvesters. If we can work to be more peaceful, intentional, mindful and grateful harvesters - perhaps our experience with the things we did and did not plant will keep us growing.

So, this week, be on the lookout for things you didn't harvest. See how you harvest things in your life and business. 

Lean into how you may become a better harvester. 

And my goodness - I hope someone shoots you down a star this week.