The Yellow Pumpkin

 

Jennifer and Jonathan Kerley, and their young children, were vacationing in Grayton Beach, Florida.  They had plans to eat dinner at a well-known restaurant.  After arriving, they discovered they wouldn’t be seated for over two hours.  With young children, they decided to call around and eat at another place that evening.

Grayton Seafood Company was the place of choice.  The fall décor was up and there were pumpkins galore.  In the middle of the display was a bright yellow pumpkin.  Jennifer commented on the pumpkin’s uniqueness to the hostess, who happened to be the owner.  She sat down at their table and talked about finding it.  “It just stood out at the Farmers Market!  I had to get it!”

 

Throughout the evening, the Kerley family spoke with the owner, their waitress, servers, and with other diners.  Conversations came up about the beach, families, traveling, adoption, church, and mission trips.  Mostly, Jesus continued to come up while they visited.

 

After paying the bill, the Kerleys packed up to leave.  The owner came over and handed Jennifer the yellow pumpkin.  She explained, “It has been a hard day at the restaurant.  Your family brought God to our restaurant tonight and that’s just what we needed.”  Jennifer was touched by the kind gift and words.  Once home, the yellow pumpkin was placed in the foyer so the family could see and enjoy it every day. 

 

About a month after the beach outing, Jennifer was praying about their family’s purpose.  They were just ordinary people, but she wanted their lives to count.  The words, “Be the yellow pumpkin!” came to her.  She knew what they meant.

 

“Stand out.

Look different.”

 

Jennifer expressed, “She (the owner of the restaurant) thought she was handing us a pumpkin…what she was actually handing us was a reminder, a calling, a mandate.” 

 

Whether at the store, park, ballgame, shopping, work, church, or wherever you go, be the yellow pumpkin.

 

“And trust that wherever HE places us is right where HE calls us to be.”

 

“So go…and be the yellow pumpkin.”

 

May we too be willing to:

…stand out.

…look different.

…take Jesus wherever we go.

 

 

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Matthew 5:14-16

 

“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Joshua 24:15