A Lesson Learned in Mud

I love mud! Growing up, I can remember in the back yard my momma’s colossal garden. My dad every year would bring out the tiller and work diligently turning the soil. However, the best part was when my brothers and I would have a dirt clod fight. We would find huge chunks and chuck them at each other  till we were covered in mud.Needless to say the boys and I had a real good time. My mom however never thought it was very funny. Anyhow one day my thoughts were completely changed about mud through a sermon I heard online. 

I came across the sermon thinking, hmmm this could be interesting. I clicked on the video and began watching. The pastor was talking about how there is a message in the mud. I thought the man was crazy. How could the thing that was the main ingredient in most of my pies growing up could have a message in it? The man began with a question “What does the mud really mean?” After posing the question he told the story of the blind man in John Ch. 9 who Jesus ordered to put the mud he made on his eyes. Jesus ordered the man to go wash his eyes. Once the man cleaned his eyes he could see.

The pastor started talking about different points. The more I became engrossed in the sermon the clearer it all became. The very last point blew me away. Miracle in the mud, is always messy. He broke it down. The dirt equaled opportunity and failure equaled fertilize. Just like before the man was blind and then the mess of the mud was washed away creating the miracle of sight. My mind was blown! In milliseconds I connected this to my passion agriculture.

Agriculturist see dirt as an opportunity. The opportunity could be crops, a location for livestock production, an agribusiness or simple just innovation. Those obstacles or failures that one encounters is only fertilizer to drive that goal farther.That fertilizer fuels that passion. But if you choose to see the mud as a mess you’ll totally miss your miracle. 

Reflecting back I know I can relate to this idea that the pastor introduced. We all have had some real messy times in our lives. But once we finally found clarity... is truly feels like a miracle.Whether you’re a young kid having dirt clod fights or an agriculturist that deals with soil on a daily bases or simply someone that enjoyed the earth think about it. We are messy people. But we miss interpret the mess of life. Mess is the meaning of life. How will you find the message in your mud? Will you see it as a simple mess or will your choose to see the mess as a miracle. No matter what, don’t be afraid of the mud.

Much Love Indiana FFA,

Lindsey O’Hara

NRVP 2014-2015