I recently was taken back by the beauty of a decorative cabbage plant growing in my backyard. I chuckled as I thought about all the travel plans cancelled this year due to the coronavirus; only to find such beauty in my own yard. I thought about the book “Acres of Diamonds” by Russell H. Conwell, written over a century ago which chronicles a wealthy and contented man who had heard about diamonds and their value. He sold his farm and took off to foreign lands in search of diamonds. He did not find any, lost his wealth, and died a pauper. Ironically, the buyer of his farm discovered diamonds, acres of diamonds, on the newly acquired farm.

Even though we dream of far away places to find fortune, love, happiness, and contentment, all those dreams are often available right where we are.

Jesus’s parable of the prodigal son is recorded in Luke 15. One son took his family inheritance, went to far-away places seeking happiness. After squandering all of the money, he came home and was welcomed back by his dad. Although many lessons can be derived from this story, one is that what he was seeking was available at home the entire time, he just did not appreciate it.

There are indeed “Acres if Diamonds” in our own backyards if we will only stop, look, and thank God for all our blessings.

I Found Him…in a beautiful cabbage plant in my own backyard.