My friend had a unique way
of welcoming 2018. He commented, “Not
everything is dead that appears to be dead.”
He went on to explain how in the Eastern part of the US, it was easy to
determine if a plant was no longer alive. “If it
was brittle and snapped off when bending, it was dead. However, in the desert, plants aren’t
necessarily dead, even if it looks like it.
He explained that bushes in the desert shed their leaves and even their
fine moisture-gathering roots, but they seal prized moisture inside the main
trunk. They apparently become so dry, the twigs can
be used to start a fire.”
Seeds are another example of “it
looks dead, but it’s not!” Little brown,
gray or even green or purple seeds usually just look dead! However, place those little pods in the ground
in Spring, add some warm sun and rain, and before long a beautiful plant grows
from that little dead “thing!”
What struck me even more than this
biology lesson was how he transferred this information to a spiritual
perspective. Each passing day allowed
growth in areas he thought long dead.
There are places each of have buried deep within our hearts and brains
that once were filled with excitement, joy and acute awareness.
For some it might have been the joy
of painting as a young child, which we decided could not be fostered enough to
gain the professional status to be able to feed a family, or dance lessons,
having our own farm/ranch, training service dogs, or teaching a classroom of
students. Life seemed to have its own
route, and finances were sparse, so we were required to ignore that which
provided immense pleasure.
In our spiritual world, when we
accepted Christ as our personal Savior, we rejoiced with gladness. Our hearts were filled to overflowing with
the excitement and joy that can only come from a relationship with The
Lord. Then, as before,
life takes on a journey of its own, which crowds out time with God, dulling our
relationship, joy, determination and pleasure we once counted on each morning
before beginning our day.
But it is a new year….A new
day! Each day provides the opportunity
to begin new “habits” and find new strategies that lifts our spirits and
brighten our mood, illumines our perspective and changes our attitudes! Each day we are given the ability to rethink
the path we are taking, and take the “road less traveled” if it brings us joy,
peace and love!
Our brain welcomes stimulation
through wholesome and worthwhile reading.
Our hearts welcome encouragement by giving love to another, because love
will be returned. Our ears are given
motivation to listen for all that is good and right in our world while our eyes
are stimulated with seeing the rainbow, in spite of the clouds. Our souls are given the inspiration to
rejoice in the rain because it is in trials and tribulations, in the dark and
gray all around, to grow and reach up, higher and higher toward a God that is real
and beside us each and every step of the way.
I encourage you to “wait” on the
Father. Read His Word, listen to His
voice, allow His sunlight and moisture nurture “your field—your life” and
grow.
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