The Floppy Pink Hat

“I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.”
- 2 Timothy 1:5 (NIV)

One of the joys of homeownership during the four years we’ve lived in Prosper has been keeping a garden. When we first moved into our home, Yoon’s parents lived with us for several months. Within the first two weeks, Yoon and her mom were already in the backyard, ripping up sod and dreaming about what might take root in our new North Texas soil: zinnias, sunflowers, peonies, blackberries, and more.

They tended the garden throughout the spring, and anytime I returned from work to a suspiciously quiet house, I knew exactly where everyone was. Yoon, her mom, and the kids would be in the backyard watering plants, inspecting insects, and pouring quiet care into what might eventually grow.

One distinctive memory from that season was my mother-in-law’s gardening hat. It was a floppy pink hat that protected her neck and face from the Texas sun, though it was also the kind of fashion best reserved exclusively for the garden.

But the seasons began to shift. My father-in-law needed to address some lingering health concerns, and Yoon’s parents would need to return to South Korea.

The day after they left, Yoon was back outside in the garden wearing that same floppy pink hat. As she watered plants that were now stronger and taller than ever, I realized she was carrying something forward, stewarding a kind of care that had been learned, received, and quietly passed along in love. And now, in so many ways, our children are receiving it too.

In 2 Timothy 1:5, Paul writes of the sincere faith that first lived in Timothy’s grandmother Lois, then in his mother Eunice, and now in Timothy himself. Faith is often formed this way, not just through sermons or grand moments, but through ordinary acts of attentiveness, patience, and love lived out over time. 

Sometimes it looks as simple as tending a garden in a floppy pink hat.

Reflection:

What quiet acts of care or faithfulness have been passed down to you from family, church, or community?

Prayer:

Gracious God, thank You for the people who have quietly tended the gardens of our lives through acts of love, patience, and faithfulness. Help us to recognize the ways faith is formed not only in big moments, but also in everyday acts of care and stewardship. Teach us to pass along what is good, true, and life-giving to our children and to those around us. And may the seeds planted in love continue to grow for generations to come. Amen.

With faith, hope, and love,

Eric Smith