Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Gratitude 18--Springing to Life

Spring has come in Texas. Granted, it's supposed to leave again Thursday, but it came and settled in like a much needed warmth in a chilly room. It wrapped around us, seeped into our hearts and spirits, and breathed life all around. It was as though God Himself stepped from Heaven to visit and wherever His robe touched, life exploded.

I have tried to intentionally look for such explosions. I have observed the fruit trees as they have gone from bud to blossom to green fluffy stoles wrapped high around them. I have inhaled deeply the fragrance of the hyacinths bright on our front porch, and just yesterday...

This is one of my favorite seasons, the season when promises that have been dormant and sometimes seemed dead suddenly come back to life and leave anyone with sense in wonder and amazement at the speed and beauty with which such answers come forth. It leaves me engulfed in thanks, and I'm thankful for so much, like...

1. Hyacinth and daffodil bulbs in pots "put out of the way because they are dead" that wave at me when I walk by, reminding me that things long buried can burst forth at the most unexpected--but such desperately needed--times.

2. Red tulips that shout, "Surprise! I'm here!" after the hyacinths have begun to fade.

3. Big eyes of wonder on little boys who love red tulips!

4. 190 peat pots sprouting with 27 different kinds of flowers.
5. God's preventing the germination of seeds which would produce plants with the ability to take over our whole garden and detroy everytihng else.

6. Google, that gives information on all kinds of plants--especially the only one that did not come up--and comments warning about its aggressive nature.

7. Empty pots at 8:00 am that are covered with a green carpet of Shasta Daisies by 11:00 am.

8. The awe of "suddenly".

9. Sunny windows where peat pots can be warmed.

10. Window seats that hold over 200 peat pots.

11. Husbands who think it is funny that I have 32 types of flowers and herbs growing but want to grow more, "just see what they do."
12. Good soil.

13. Information on earthworm farms.

14. Worm dirt.

15. That God only uses the BEST dirt.

16. Peat pots.

17. Good garden gloves.

18. Painkillers for my sore hands.

19. Grass snakes that don't mind moving out of the way so I can clean out flower beds.

20. Soaker hoses that soak the sod and make pulling grass and weeds easier.

21. Good shovels.

22. Children who run to see what life on the window seat is doing.

23. Phototropism.

24. Pink peach blosooms.










25. White plum blossoms.













26. Plum blossom fragrance.

27. Clothes drying on the line.











28. Iris bulbs, missed when the flowerbed was cleaned, that send up a happy leaf or two that says its happy to be here.

29. Sharing bulbs with friends.

30. Fall leaves becoming rich dirt in the yard.

31. The joy of wondering what else is coming.

5 comments:

Jan Parrish said...

I love this post. Full of promise.

I especially like this phrase: "It was as though God Himself stepped from Heaven to visit and wherever His robe touched, life exploded." Beautiful words, Jeri.

Thank you so much for sharing.

sharilyn said...

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. i am living it vicariously through you!! i love spring flowers that come up from bulbs... death to resurrection, and so beautifully done! : )

thanks for sharing the joy!

Debra said...

Yeah! Pictures! ... and flowers and I love God's dirt! :) Love you, too!

Amelia said...

I love spring! We've had the back windows open the last few days so we could smell the wisteria. The cilantro smells great too, and I've even had my first rose of the season. Praise and thanksgiving! Thanks for sharing.

Jenny B. said...

*sigh*
That is so wonderful!
Just a week ago, winter decided to have one last death throe before the weather finally turned nice again. I am praying we don't have another Nor'Easter... It is time for spring!

Relevant

">

Red Light Rescue

Imagine being a parent barely able to pay bills and someone comes to your home and promises to educate your daughter and find her a job. You agree, hoping to give her a better life. Then she disappears, and you find out she is not being educated. Instead, she is a prostitute, a victim of human-trafficking, beaten and abused daily. Sounds like a nightmare, doesn't it? For 100,000 girls in India, this is reality. To find out how you can help, please visit Red Light Rescue.



Quotables

"It's not the wind in our hair that makes us free. It's the movement of the Spirit, the growth of our invisible side." --Amber Haines

Great Things I've Read Lately

Search This Blog