This past fall I watched my once thriving garden fade away, the vibrant plants had languished… dry from the extreme weather. The days were hot and the nights were cold. Thanksgiving brought the bright orange leaves and pumpkins. The wind and rain had brought death; the ground was parched and all that once lived now lay, limply on the barren ground. Another season had come and gone. It was time to grab the rake and pull the dead leaves and brush away.
As I cleared the garden floor, I was astonished to find underneath the mass of debris, sandwiched between two decorative stones, one tiny plant, standing tall, reaching up for the sun. While the world was falling down in ruin all around this diminutive flower, she stood, stretching with determination to live. Her leaves were bright green and her colorful face turned upward. I carefully uncovered her and dug a small, shallow well around her, to ensure her water supply would be sufficient to catch the coming rains.
As I contemplated this brave, yet seemingly insignificant plant, I, again, saw the truth of God’s plan to use His creation to teach us. The birds had planted this one…she was a surprise! Despite it all, she had not only survived, but she had thrived. She had weathered extremes and watched everything around her perish, yet she persevered! She was not a quitter. She was just who she was, carving life out of God’s time frame for her. I was inspired by her.
How often do I aspire to find satisfaction in “whatever”, other than my Creator and His plan for my life? How do I face disappointment and trials? Is my face stretched upward? Am I found totally dependent on Him or am I running ahead, disregarding His leading? Do I accept His timing in life’s situations (that little flower was found out of its expected season!) or do my expectations lead me astray? Do I accept my uniqueness or aspire to be more or do more apart from Him? How do I handle the challenges of life when the wind and rain are whipping about me? Do I quit or do I accept the challenge and fearlessly “keep on, keeping on”?
That glorious, petite flower that caught me unaware, has no idea how wonderfully she was used to cause me to stop, take a self-look and listen. We do not realize, Moms, that we are the flowers our children and others are watching. They are reading us all the time and learning how to relate to God, us and the world.
Will you join me in these unsettling times… choosing to stand tall…
face upward, courageously persevering…?
~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America. Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California. My passion is mentoring and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights.
