One Day Beauties

I went out to get my coffee, sleepy-eyed. I fed the kitties and got ready to read my devotionals – but first had to open all of our curtains and drapes. Gotta let that light in. All part of my regular morning routine…just like every other morning…until I looked through the open living room drapes and my breath was taken away!! The Dragon Fruit plant draping over our wall from the neighbor’s yard had burst into bloom! Five bright creamy-white flowers, each more than a foot in diameter, hung there…wide open…mimicking the morning sun…shimmering on the cactus-like vine.

Absolutely breath taking!

I ran to get Keith so he could see this spectacular sight.   Knowing these flowers only last a day and afraid they might close at any moment, we both knew there was little time to waste. Keith arrived in time and was also entranced by the stunning display – both of us so grateful for the blessing of these brief moments of beauty.

And sure enough, in an hour or two the flowers had all closed and the plant prepared to set its fruit. Now we could hardly wait the 30 – 50 days until the fruit would be ripe and ready to harvest.

One Day…what if I had missed these beautiful blooms?

One Day…what else might I have missed in such a short expanse of time?

One Day…how easy to get caught up in chores…tasks…the tyranny of the urgent…missing out on garden blessings…or time spent with dear friends…or conversations about things that really matter. Surely they will understand my limited energy and need to get other things in order…

One Day…was all the time to be had and soon that opportunity was gone.

Oh, these twinges of regret… because just 10 days after these “One Day Beauties” had bloomed, my dear friend, Margaret passed from this earth to the presence of our Lord. I had meant to call her…to drop her a note of encouragement…to remind her that Keith and I loved her and her husband, Jim, dearly…but…I needed to get “this” done today – I’ll do it tomorrow…but now she is gone and the opportunity is lost.

Lord Jesus, please help me to look for these beautiful moments…opportunities that like Dragon Fruit flowers will only be here today, just this One Day. And help me jump with joy as I seize these moments for Your purposes. I know you’ll help me get the rest done…when these moments are so much more important. Amen.