Orchids
Today is my houseplant-watering day. I have a green thumb with almost every plant I’ve attempted to cultivate…except orchids. Somehow, over the years, I’ve managed to kill more of these beautiful plants than I want to remember, even though I carefully followed their “low maintenance” instructions.
I have two orchids right now. Kole gave me a gorgeous one for Mother’s Day five weeks ago. Interestingly, this Phalaenopsis (Moth Orchid) had a different set of watering instructions. “Submerge entire pot in water for 5 minutes”, it stated.
Really?
In the past I’d focused on instructions saying to ONLY give it ½ cup of water…make sure water drains through…don’t let it sit in water…if potting soil is still moist don’t water (ok, this last one was also repeated with the new instructions).
So I tried this new method, also, on the one remaining orchid I had not yet killed…but was definitely knocking on death’s door. “What could it hurt?” I thought.
What could it hurt? It might even help!
So, for the past 4 weeks that’s how I watered it. And today I saw…signs of life! A new leaf bud forming in its crown! Sitting and resting in water for a short time is exactly what it needed to begin the renewal process!
Sitting and resting…not focusing on rigorous instructions of “do this” and “not that”. Sitting and resting…abiding…then letting the refreshing, life-giving water flow through…
Is that not what our Lord says to us? Sit and rest with me for a while…be filled and refreshed in my life-giving presence…when it’s time, let me flow through you onto others who are in desperate need of my touch.
If we haven’t taken that time with him…time being immersed in his word that refreshes and restores, we will soon become shriveled like the orchid leaves…wasted…unable to handle even the most basic realities of life (not to mention hopeless situations and cares of this world)…emptied to the point of death.
But if we will take that time, just when we think it’s over, we will see signs of new life…brought by the water of his word…the joy of his presence.
Lord Jesus, thank you for the Spirit of Life that you pour into our hearts. Help us to set aside times daily to sit and rest with you. May we allow you to fill us…refresh us…and open our eyes to see those new signs of life. Come, Lord Jesus, come.
Artichokes
Here in So Cal we’re three days into a heat wave, although today temps are only expected to reach 87F. Our garden is well watered and seems to be withstanding the scorching sun much better than it did during last summer’s drought.
My body, not so much: I’m three days into an MS flare. Heat nearly always impacts my MS, causing muscle weakness, fatigue, weird sensations in my legs and arms and cognitive disruptions that I truly dislike. This high pressure system seems to be weighing on me more this summer than last, when I was recovering from some high-pressure life issues. Then, I could function well when the outside air cooled in the evenings. Now, even in our air-conditioned house I’m relying on my cane to help stabilize and keep me on my feet. Although this hasn’t happened in a while, I trust and know that this will pass soon enough.
Daytime trips out to the garden are not beneficial for me right now. So, I’m looking through pictures that I took of our garden plants and flowers that brought joy to my heart, when I’d stumbled upon them. And since I’d recently shared on my Facebook Author page how beautiful our un-harvested artichokes were as they prepared to bloom, I knew I had to share their amazing thistle-like flowers now that they have fully matured and bloomed.
How precious to know that our Lord brings joy and beauty to our lives in times of waiting. In times of resting. In times of testing. For He is there with us, if we will only look for him, stay focused on him, trusting him to produce the flower of perseverance leading us to maturity, not lacking anything!
James 1: 2 – 4
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Grow In Grace
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. To Him be glory, both now and forever! Amen” 2 Peter 3:18