INSPIRASUNS

One of the things I miss the most about living in a condo is having a large yard with an area for a garden, and lots of flower beds and pots. I used to love the spring and summer months, when I could just dig in the dirt. Now granted, I was never a master gardener, but I did ok, I guess.

Since we moved to SW Florida, I’ve tried to have a couple of pots outside around our driveway and front door. I change out the plants with the seasons just like I used to back in IL. Admittedly, I don’t have as many flowering areas, but I have enough to keep me tending to things 🙂 .

A few months ago, I bought a nice Hibiscus plant for a very large pot near our front door. When I purchased it, the poor thing was green and had a flower on it, but you could tell it was ready to be out of its temporary pot and into a place where it could stretch its roots. I brought it home and, after putting fresh dirt into the pot, in went the hibiscus as I massaged its roots to loosen and let them settle in. After just a few weeks, it was spitting out buds and flowers and was growing nicely.

Several weeks ago, I noticed that the many buds it was producing would just start to open, and then the entire bud would turn yellow and fall off. This went on for a few days, and I began to research what might be causing it. I found out it was an aphid of some sort, so I headed off to our local gardening center and talked to a wonderful man there. He gave me the products I needed to treat the plant, which included not only spraying the leaves and buds but also adding a treatment to the soil. He said it would “Take some work, but you’ll get rid of them and your plant will be blooming again”.

So, I began the process of treating my little hibiscus. Every day, I would pull off the yellow buds; fortunately, the leaves were fine, nice and green. Each morning and evening, I tended to this plant, spraying and treating the soil as the man had instructed. The yellow buds began to disappear, and the green of the outside was returning, but I was still seeing them turn yellow right before they bloomed, grrr… more tending and treatments.

This morning, I made my way outside to check on my project, and there, a flower was just about to fully open. I looked around and many buds as green as they can be are about to open and flower. I think I openly said, “Oh, look at you all happy and blooming!”. I gave the little bush another treatment and will continue to stay on top of things to make sure the pesky bugs don’t return, but I’m pretty happy about having flowers again soon.

Friends, things we love in this world, well, they take work and care. It takes time for things and relationships to grow. The relationship we have with our Lord is no different. We need to devote the time and care to Him every day for our relationship to have strong roots and bloom. Don’t give up on the relationships in your life, and don’t ever think that Father isn’t there just because you feel He hasn’t answered a prayer in your time.

With proper care, with a little time, and with love, the relationships we hold dear will grow into beautiful treasures.

Have a wonderful day, everyone.

2 Peter 3:18
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.