ShilohRose77©️
This spring, we decided to clean out our flower bed and get rid of the dead shrubs, and trees that had been there since we moved here. Neither my husband or myself have grown anything before it was fun, but a daunting task. We bought five rose bushes and were given four other plants. We planted them and then mulched the garden bed. The task was fairly simple but as with anything there is a learning curve.
The first couple of weeks were so hard to wait patiently for the first sign of new life in our rose bushes. We watered, fertilized and check on the daily, and yet no sign of anything. It took at least four weeks before we saw anything happening. I was nervous that we had not planted them deep enough or that somehow they were bad plants. Life can be filled with waiting seasons! We are always try to accomplish the next big thing.
Finally, the roses began to grow leaves and then eventually blooms started to appear. I realized why people love gardening so much! It felt amazing to see the results of our work! Do not give up on the seeds that you have planted in your own life! We must keep tending to them, and waiting for our harvest. The work God started he will finish! We cannot always see the new growth, sometimes it’s happening deep beneath the soil of our hearts!
Again I was reminded of Adam, alone in the garden of Eden and God had given him dominion over the Earth. “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.”
Genesis 2:15 KJV God’s beautiful creation was given over to our hands to care for and enjoy. This small flower garden, has taught me new skills, a hands on approach to caring for these plants. I felt closer to God working with my hands in the dirt. I felt my God-given purpose being shown in this simple, everyday tasks. My favorite flowers, grown by my own hands has been a wonderful experience.
Friends, can I be real with you? I lack patience, I want things now! I get anxious waiting at the supermarket in line, I tap my foot and shift from one foot to the other. I pray for patience but when the opportunities arise to show myself patient it can be hard. I imagine that many of you struggle as well. As with my garden, I am seeing the blessings of sticking it out. The greatest blessing of your life may be around the next obstacle. Don’t give up!
Although I will be the first to admit those prickles sure hurt when I am pruning my roses. I tell myself that this time I won’t touch a thorn but somehow the smallest thorn gets me. Life is full of thorns, a prick here and a prick there. Some pain only grazes the surface while some cut much deeper. Do not let the thorns keep you for growing! These beautiful roses must have these prickles to keep their hard work safe.
As with pain, it can be a protection mechanism to help us to learn. The rose’s prickles are what keeps humans and animals from easily destroying the beautiful blooms. With time, we can learn to live and thrive amongst those less than ideal situations. “For the beauty of the rose, we also water the thorns.” The pain we carry reminds us that life is both beautiful and yet painful. I will again prick my finger and yet my vase is full!
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