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Nancy Parker Brummett

Nancy Parker Brummett

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Thankful

A Sonoran Spring

May 23, 2019 by Nancy 15 Comments

Tohono Chul-red cactusLiving in Colorado Springs, a place that just got 8-12” of snow on May 20, I often fantasize about spring. Usually my fantasy is of the rolling green hills of East Tennessee, the azaleas, dogwoods, tulips and irises. But this spring found us in Tucson, AZ, for a granddaughter’s graduation, a Mother’s Day celebration, and a daughter’s 50th birthday party all on one weekend. There I discovered a different kind of spring that I can fantasize about in years to come—a Sonoran desert spring!

On this busy weekend away my husband Jim and I were surprised to discover that we had three hours to ourselves between celebrations. A friend told me about Tohono Chul botanic gardens in north Tucson, so we hopped in our rental car and off we went. I was charmed the minute we got out of the car and I heard the endearing sound of hummingbirds in flight. And why not? Later I learned they have their own garden at Tohono Chul, which translated means “desert corner.”

Tohono Chul--yellow cactusAs with most preserves, this 49-acre oasis in the middle of Tucson’s urban sprawl began in the hearts of people recognizing its beauty and wanting to make it available to generations to come. University of Arizona geologist Richard Wilson and his wife Jean began purchasing property in the area in the late 1960s. According to the brochure, their home at the time was a hacienda-style building which now houses the Tohono Chul Garden Bistro—an inviting spot where I hope to lunch another day.

“At first, we just went out and put down some lime to make a path and marked the names of some plants and bushes, but then it started to snowball,” the Wilsons said. “Snowball” may be an odd choice of words to describe the progress of a desert garden, but grow it did and Tohono Chul Park was formally dedicated on April 19, 1985.Tohono Chul-wildflowers

The trails that wind through Tohono Chul are full of enchanting discoveries from the stately saguaro cacti to the smallest desert wildflowers. One unexpected turn of events was that I had sprained my ankle on a walk the day before, so the kind volunteers at the garden offered us a wheelchair. Not only did I quickly grow more empathetic toward friends and relatives I love who must spend their lives in wheelchairs, I realized Jim and I have a lot to learn about navigating with one.

Tohono Chul--wheelchair2We entertained other visitors with my cries of, “Wait! Back up!” or “No, I want to go this way!” A patient husband is a wonderful gift indeed, but I suspect there was some eye-rolling I didn’t see that elicited the smiles of passersby! My hobbled status gave me a unique perspective on this new kind of spring, however. When I realized how blessed I was to have a husband who made sure I got to see the gardens I wanted to see—and that I never would have noticed that a lizard friend was shedding his skin had I not been closer to his level—the verse from 1 Thessalonians 5:18 came to mind: Be joyful always; pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Tohono Chul--lizardThankful for family celebrations. Thankful for a caring husband. Thankful my injury was only temporary. Thankful for the walking stick I purchased in the gift shop—made of real Colorado aspen! Thankful for the warm memory of a Sonoran desert spring as I watched the snow fall back home.

(For more information on Tohono Chul, look here.)

Filed Under: Back Porch Break Tagged With: Cacti, Desert, perspective, Sonoran, Spring, Thankful, wheelchair

The Art of Thankful Giving

November 9, 2017 by Nancy 10 Comments

Design by Bree Miller.
Design by Bree Miller.
As Thanksgiving arrives this year our gratitude for what we have seems to run deeper than ever before, doesn’t it? As we look at all the blessings God has placed in our hands, we come to the realization that thanks giving may not be enough. It is rather “thankful giving” that best expresses our gratitude.

I hope to carry this attitude of thankful giving beyond Thanksgiving all the way through the Christmas season this year. While our shopping and wrapping may be scaled down as we focus even more on what matters most, I’m still extremely grateful to have the means to give something to others—and to have others to receive what I give.

Billy Graham said, “God has given us two hands—one to receive with and the other to give with. We are not cisterns made for hoarding; we are channels made for sharing.”

The realization that He has chosen us to be such channels of giving is sometimes humbling and heartrending. One Christmas season my two oldest granddaughters saw princess outfits they loved at a store at the mall. The frilly dresses were ridiculously overpriced, but being the indulgent grandmother I can sometimes be, I went back a few days later and purchased both.

As I was writing out my check the tears started to well up in my eyes. By the time I grabbed my bulky package and left the store they were freely flowing. I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude that I was able to buy gifts for my granddaughters when I knew there were many grandmothers who weren’t able to do the same.

Design by Bree Miller.
Design by Bree Miller.

A friend of mine is haunted by a news report she saw. A grandmother in Afghanistan was lying on a dirt floor, too weak to get up and tend to her six grandchildren who sat on the floor around her—their parents unaccounted for. Only God can reconcile the disparity between that woman and those of us who will be able to purchase and wrap gifts for our children and grandchildren for Christmas this year. Certainly the love in her heart is no weaker than that in ours.

“Freely you have received; freely give,”
Jesus said (Matthew 10:8 NIV). It truly is more blessed to give than to receive, and sharing what we have received with those we love may be the greatest form of gratitude. This year let’s make an attitude of thankful giving the invisible “add-on” to every package we wrap.

Filed Under: Back Porch Break Tagged With: Billy Graham, Giving, grandmother, Thankful, Thanksgiving

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