When the Zinnias Bloom Late

In late May, my husband armed my youngest with a spade, charging him with the knightly duty of uprooting insurgent roots in the garden. Like any knight worth his shield, helmet and, ummm, spade, he took to the task with vigilance.

Not a green leaf or its root remained.

Three packets worth of zinnias and 3 packets of cosmos , the promise of so much summer color and charm, were heaped in a wilted pile.

Realizing the error of this zealous knight-in-training, my husband worked with him to save as many zinnias as possible – and I loved that, that my son replanted as many zinnia seeds as he could – that’s a keeper story that goes straight to my heart – and that my husband showed him how, doing it with him.

Life is like that sometimes – the work of my hands – and your hands, too- is like seeds planted. Sometimes the results grow, blossom and reap a harvest – just like seed packet directions promise.

Sometimes, though, unexpected happenings interfere with what I perceive is normal cause-effect of my actions and expectations.

Sometimes my hopes and dreams feel as if they’ve been pulled out of mylife, like those zinnia seeds in my flower bed.

. . . . and maybe they have been. . . . but if I love what those zinnia seeds stand for – then maybe. . . . just maybe. . . . I need to replant new seeds – of the same thing I’ve done over and over – and let hope and faith in a Holy Spirit rain nourish the repetitive planting of those seed dreams..

Disgruntled? Cross-eyed with frustration? Tempted to cry, “Unfair?” – You bet!

I’m learning that while seed packages have seed-time and harvest directions with 30 to 60 day results – God’s plans don’t always have such a quick turn-around – ’cause He’s growing something bigger in us than a squash, a pepper, a cosmos and a zinnia.

Dreams He planted in you and me,  before we were born do have a seed-time and harvest – but it’s all on God’s time. Just like I didn’t want to give up on my zinnias; He doesn’t want me to give up on those dreams -even if I have to do things over and over and over – and over, over, over and over some more.

Maybe my zinnia basket in August wasn’t as full as I hoped it would be – but how dear the flowers of those zinnia seeds replanted.

I could have just given up. After all, it took till almost Fall for them to bloom – the summer almost done.

. . . but I didn’t give up. . . on the dream.  I replanted, though I had to wait longer than I wanted or expected.

The zinnias brought the joy I anticipated – just like I know the dream He planted will.

“Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.” (Galatians 6:9)

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Warning Label for Handling Faith Seeds

Last year, in August, we moved.  In the first year of that move, we planted a bunch of faith seeds:

Somebody should put a warning label on Faith Seeds: “Be Careful! Planting may cause pain!  But have Faith – you will be better for it!”

You know  the  “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”(Heb 11:1) scripture – the one that really means – things are going to get really tough, but don’t believe in what you see, even though you feel it to the marrow of your bones.

Walk, talk, think and believe as though you already have the promise (cause God promises a lot – that’s why believing in faith works) – it just gets a little uncomfortable.

Sometimes people think you’re nuts.  Then, just when you think you cannot take it much longer,  evidence peeps through the rough earth:  little stems of faith, followed by little buds, followed by Faith blooming.

Celebrating a year into our journey, another birthday and anniversary, my husband took me on a county-wide tour to take pictures. It was a P.E.R.F.E.C.T. day!

I was trying to find a church I remembered we saw last year when we were looking for a place to live.  It was in  in a very out-of-the-way place – which turned out not to be a church at all, but an old house.

Memories are fickle things – a bit disconcerting on my birthday!

Yet  a sweet morning trumps a faulty memory any day!

One of the things I missed most when I lived in Tennessee for 19 years, was Chicory Blue

And Lady Fingers, though my husband said they were Virginia Creepers, his grandmother always called them Lady Fingers – they remind me of a lady’s fingers after a Spa Day.

A covered bridge reminded me of the last year.

which symbolized our journey from one place, through darkness, to the other side.

School Started the next day. No one climbed in the van crying. There were smiles! Relief! The Big Move of Faith is easier the second year!

Faith Seeds Sprouting! In August!

Hopefully, that heralds a gentler path! A more Joyful Path.

In the next year – by this time, another son will boldly step into the independence he has wanted every day for the last 2 years – probably really since he was born.

One will have walked farther on the solid footing he has found with his joyful spirit firmly wrapped around him.

Another will meet me in height

and, just maybe, I will figure out the littlest one’s love language and spiritual gifts

My husband will rarely travel,

so he will be home.

For me, home is where he is.

It is so much nicer to share challenges with someone stronger and wiser.

I like the idea of a gentler year!

Maybe one where all those faith seeds that we planted blossom!

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