Nipped in the Bud

#inspiration, dreams, goals, lessonsIt had been many years since we’d planted tulip bulbs and I was watching the progress with great anticipation. Several were almost ready to bloom. I took a picture of one of the buds and planned to take another when the flower was in full bloom.

Well, I did get another picture of this stalk, but it was not what I had hoped for. The nice, plump bud had been eaten by the wild rabbit that lives in our neighbourhood. Several more of these promising flowers had suffered the same fate.

There are still a few buds remaining so either our furry friend had his fill or moved on to sample the fare in another garden. Either way, I can’t count on this not being repeated with the other flowers.

Yes, I am disappointed. Being upset won’t do me any good, though, so I started looking for the life lesson that must be there for me. It didn’t take long to find!

There are times in life I have had great plans that haven’t quite made it to fruition. Like the blooms, they were so close I could almost smell their fragrance. At the last minute, something came along and nipped them in the bud.

Maybe the opportunity wasn’t the right one for me. Perhaps I had more to learn. No matter the reason, I need to keep planting my dreams and goals. It can be scary to risk again knowing things may not turn out the way I hope. The chance is worth it though because that’s what helps me learn and grow.

“If you are never scared, embarrassed or hurt, it means you never take chances.” Julia Soul

Deadheading In the Garden of Life

Some of thegrowth, life, Jesus, inspiration flowers in our planters were wilting and turning brown. There were still plants with healthy blooms and a few new buds forming. To extend the blooming period of these plants I needed to deadhead them.

Deadheading is done by removing the flowers as they fade. Pruning and pinching keeps the plant from going to seed and then dying.

As I did this I pondered the process of removing what is no longer needed so that new growth can occur. This is true in life as well as in gardening.

There have been times I’ve held onto thoughts and behaviours that were not productive. The only comfortable thing about them was their familiarity. Still, I clung to them as though they were something precious.

Jesus gave the example of people being the vine and God the gardener. This biblical example was what I needed to focus on. Pruning in my life needed to be done before I could begin to live the fruitful life that had been planned for me.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”  (John 15:1,2 NIV)

%d bloggers like this: