Bloom Where Planted

My husband calls it playing in the dirt. I call it therapy. And this time of year, the urge to plant stuff is almost unbearable. Especially on days like last week when it was in the mid-70s and sunny. Today, it’s back down to 50 degrees and the sky is overcast, grey and it might storm, so I’m happy to be inside and warm.

Here in East Texas, we must, or should at least, wait until after Easter to plant things outdoors. There seems to always be one last cold spell right before Easter, no matter when the calendar says its spring. So, as I wait until it’s safe to plant, I prepare. And I plan. Which got me thinking about where I can put things.

For example, in front of my patio, there is a low spot that always holds water when it rains. Not a good area for plants that like to be dry. On the other side of the patio is the A/C unit which blows a lot of hot air. Not a good place for plants that don’t like hot and dry temps. I learned that the hard way when my bonsai trees died even though I watered them as required.

My front yard is even worse. It’s all shady, the ground is sandy and hard, even grass doesn’t do well there. We do have some nice weeds though.  They’re out living their best life right where God planted them.

Which reminded me of the flowers I planted at our church early last summer.

I made sure they were appropriate for the area and sunny hours along with being healthy. They were thriving and blooming when I bought them. I planted with care, added good soil to their spot, a little bit of fertilizer, and of course, water. And since no one was at the church during the week, I’d make a special trip every couple day to water and check on them. They died. No matter what I did, they slowly died. I had to take them out and replant with something else.

On the other hand, I’m not sure who planted it, but on my nightly walks with the heathen, I pass by a clump of scraggly leaves that most of the time look like weeds. No one waters it, it’s not fertilized, the nearby weeds aren’t pulled, and it gets no attention whatsoever. In fact, it’s often mistreated. Trash bins have been rolled over it, Bodhi has watered and marked it as his own and so have other dogs, and occasionally, someone mows it down to the ground. But every summer for the last five or six years, this neglected and abused plant blooms and brightens its place in the world. I love walking by at night and seeing the flowers and being reminded that a hard life can still bring forth beauty.

This plant also reminds me of the “bloom where you’re planted” saying.  I’d always thought that meant to make the best of a bad situation. Basically, just suck it up and deal with whatever bad things are thrown at you. Sort of like making lemonade from the lemons life throws at you.

Naturally, I had to Google it.

Attributed to Saint Francis de Sales, who lived in the late 1500s, it’s an encouragement to find joy and brighten whatever corner we find ourselves. But I don’t think that is exactly what God would want for us.

Because God has a purpose and plan for our lives, I believe He places us where He wants us to either grow and learn about Him, or places to shine and be witnesses of His love and mercy.

God has a plan.

Remember, Jeremiah 29:11? “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”  (NLT) We know from study that this was said to the Israelites in a specific historical situation, but the principle also applies to us as God’s children. His plans for us are for good things. He wants us to have a positive future. We can put our “hope” or confidence in Him.

Part of the problem, I think, is we stray from God’s plans and insist on doing things we want, how we want, and when we want. And often, quite often really, that leads to disaster. For example, many years ago, “I” wanted a certain vehicle. In fact, I didn’t even ask God about it. “I” wanted it and that is all that mattered. Looking back now, I know that wasn’t the vehicle God had planned for us but sometimes He lets us learn the hard way. And boy, did we learn.

We named the car Christine after the possessed car of Stephen King’s book. The only time something wasn’t broken or not working was when we’d just fixed it and something else was about to break. It was the worst car experience ever! When the military transferred us, we had to drive from east Texas to the upper part of Missouri with small children not knowing if we’d make it without breaking down. I was so glad when we got rid of it. And ever since, the husband and I make sure God is a big part of car decisions.

God has a purpose.

In Ephesians 2:10, we are given a glimpse of God’s purpose for us. “…so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”  Naturally, I had to ask, what are these good things and in my study have come up with a few things.

Develop a relationship with Him. Starting in the Garden of Eden, God has pursued a relationship with mankind. When Adam and Eve sinned and hid from Him, He went searching for them. When mankind did evil in His sight, before He destroyed the world with the flood, He sought out Noah and saved him. Even in the New Testament, on the road to Damascus, God sought out Saul because He had a better plan and purpose for Saul’s life. This is where an active prayer life and regular Bible study make a big difference.

Teach others about God and His love for us. Remember what we call “The Great Commission” given to the church? You can check it out in Matthew 28. We were told to teach the commands of God. Yes, we. Not just the pastor and church “officials” because each of us as individuals are part of God’s church. It’s our job too.

Love God and others as we love ourselves. Not only is this something God wants us to do, we are commanded to do so. In Matthew 22:37-40, Jesus tells us the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind. He then goes on to say the second greatest is to love our neighbors as ourselves. I don’t know about you, but sometimes loving others is hard, especially those we don’t know or even like.

But when we remember how much God loves each of us and the value He places on each of our lives, we are duty-bound to share His love.

God’s Promise.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 tells us, “But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes: its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (NLT)

As someone who enjoys playing in the dirt and planting things, I must pay attention to caring for the plants I’m responsible for. Especially during the summer months. Often it gets almost unbearably hot and dry. Drought is common and it doesn’t take the Texas sun long to bake anything left in it. Sometimes I forget though and my plants die.

Here’s the thing. No matter where God plants us, He doesn’t forget us. We can rest assured He will take care of us and supply all our needs. And not only will he supply our basic needs, but Ephesians 3:20 says, “exceedingly, abundantly above all we can ask or think.”

Sometimes we are planted in nice, neat gardens with plenty of water and shade.  Sometimes we’re planted out in the wild where we struggle with weeds and pests. But God knows what is best for us and where we need to be planted for the current season in our life. Our job is to bloom and light up our little corner. And we do this by building our relationship with Him. We learn about Him and grow in our faith. We share His love to all who we come into contact with and let them know God loves them too.

When we do, we’ll be like that tree by the river, green and fruitful. And, I kind of like to think of strangers resting in our shade and relaxing, knowing they are safe and loved.