If you’re a master gardener,
you’ll probably want to skip this post. Just saying.
Every year at Christmas, my sister gives me an amaryllis. I force the bulb to bloom during the winter and
then take it outside and plop it in the ground.
Yes, I know that in the middle
south, this variety of amaryllis is not supposed to bloom again. But I hope.
Last year, like many years, I had
nothing but leaves on my amaryllis bulbs.
I thought maybe I should dig up
the bulbs and use the ground for something more reliable. However, I remembered
what my neighbor Mell used to say, “Just leave it alone, and see what happens.”
So, I did.
Last week, while talking to my
sister on the phone, I glanced over at the plot of ground where my amaryllis
bulbs were planted, and I had not one, but two bulbs planted in years past about
to explode in bloom―perhaps because our winter was milder than usual, perhaps
because God knew I needed a burst of color right now.
Most of us like a guaranteed
return on our investments, but those amaryllis bulbs are a lot like our lives.
We plant, we water, we hope. Sometimes we get a return. Sometimes, it seems we
don’t. Occasionally, like my blooms this
year, the return is so bountiful, we’re astounded.
If you’ve been standing by
waiting for your investment in some arena to bear fruit, just know it‘s all in
God’s hands and His timing. Those returns often don’t come fast and furious,
but in patience, waiting, and hoping.
So, here’s to unexpected flowers
at unpredictable times.
All thanks to THE master
gardener.