Welcome to Unseen today. Today's story is from Linnie
Branton's new book Lesson's Learned
from the Garden. Linnie is an artist and writer and has been a
volunteer in different capacities at Faith Works and at Freedom Fellowship. Lesson's
Learned from the Garden is being released this week and there will be a
book signing at the old firehouse in Clyde Saturday, December 13 from 2:00 to
early evening. Linnie's encouragement and help was a great help in getting my
writing started. Enjoy her story and for
more information on how to order her book or art contact me at
susanmccabe26@gmail.com.
Out of Season
My flower bed is a bit confused. The flowers that bloomed in
the summer have decided that enough is enough. No matter how much water I give
them, no matter how warm the sun shines, they are finished. They have completed
their journey. They have dropped their seed to assure that another generation
will follow them. They have put down deep roots. Some will have new plants
shoot up from those same deep roots come spring, the parent plant being long
gone. Others will die out all the way down to the roots. The plant itself will
fertilize the soil that once fed it. When finally pulled up out of the ground,
the deep roots will loosen the soil as it is released to fall back into place.
Seed will fall into the loose earth: water will soak into the dirt creating a
perfect environment for new seed to put down new roots. This is life in the
flower bed.
The confusion comes because the seasons this year have been
a little out of synchronization. Spring happened quickly. Winter was cold and
fierce. Then it was gone and summer came. There were no spring rains, no cool
nights and mornings that gradually led into summer. There were instead days and
nights of freezing dry cold and then they were gone. All at once it was summer.
Days were hot and dry with no rain. Water levels dropped. Water restrictions
followed.
Most bulbs bloom in the spring. They wait for the ground to
soften with spring rains. They stick their little heads out of the ground in
the cool nights and early mornings. They even shake of a light snow or soft
freeze and bravely wake up before the sun warms the ground. They delight us
with the knowledge that the cold is coming to an end and warm weather is ahead.
My bulbs missed their season this year. But now, this
October has unseasonably warm days, with cool nights and dark cool morning. There
has been a little rain. My bulbs have decided to bloom, out of season. I am
delighted. My heart has gone back to spring. With love and gentleness I remove
a few stray weeds that try to compete with my bulbs. I give them just enough
water to soften the soil and bring nourishment to roots that are stretched into
the fertile soil. I watch each bud and wait for the flower to open fully so I
can examine its unique beauty. The calendar may say October, but my heart says
spring.
I compare my life to the bulbs. I have missed a few springs.
There have been seasons that turned from frigid dry cold to scorching dry heat.
There were some seasons where spring never happened. Without undue guilt, I
must confess: some of those springs were missed because I never looked for
them. It does not matter now. Spring is here, in my heart.
Jesus, you are the springs in our lives. Help us to be more
like You. John 21:25 says, "Jesus did many other things as well. If every
one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not
have room for the books that would be written.
