“But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever.” Psalm 52:8
As the last half of the year has begun, I am finding myself looking at my One Word with new eyes. I picked the word Flourish for 2018 because I wanted to remind myself that no matter where I was physically, emotionally or spiritually, that I wanted to dig my feet in and make the best of each moment. The first half of the year did not go very well, but as I find myself in a new, physical place, I may be able to give my word some justice.
Yesterday, for the first time in years, I worked in the yard. My new home has grass and trees (I lived in the desert with not much to work with over the past 12 years), birds, frogs and snails. The small space at the end of the driveway needed some love, so I pulled out the weeds, brought in some top soil and some begonias and calla lilies. There was a great afternoon breeze as I knelt with my knees using a flattened moving box as a cushion. My bare hands pulled each plant out of its plastic container and dug holes to give each flower a new home. The smell of the damp earth brought back a flood of memories from my days in Houston. I was always working in my yard planting marigolds and Mexican Heather. Even the specific weeds I pulled reminded me of those early years in my first home with Joe.
The bonus was that my oldest son, Julian, came out and sat with me, reminiscing and his words touched me. “Mom, it’s good to see you doing this again.” He remembered how much I loved to do this kind of work. This kind of therapy, and yes, even worship. It’s in the moments that I create by finding the right flowers and plants to make a section of my world a little more beautiful that I spend a few moments with the universe. I must admit, that for the first time in more months than I care to admit, I felt a little stirring in my heart. I felt God’s presence for a fleeting moment.
I’ll take it for now, knowing that healing takes time.
Today I Am Thankful For:
- rocking chairs
- dirt
- Leal’s
- watermelon
- begonias
