While working in hospice, I once introduced myself to a fantastic woman in her nineties. I asked a conversation starter question that was phrased something like, "tell me about your life." Her response was a unique one as she said, which life would you like to know about? She went on to describe all of the different lives she felt that she had led over the years. Childhood, Newlywed, Mother, Grandmother, Widow. During my months with her she told stories about each phase of life and I could see there were moments of beauty, freshness, and vigor with each one. It’s as though she had the opportunity to bloom again and again at the various phases.
Whether or not we are in our nineties, if we take the time to look back over our lives, we can witness blooming moments in our own experiences and memories.
There are fresh starts, moments of blessings and beauty after a difficult stretch of life, and times of relief when it seems like all your energy has been poured into something. There is beauty.
So wherever you are in life at the moment. Whatever age or stage of life, I want to pause and consider some of your blooming moments. What are those times in life that you can identify with beauty, freshness, and vigor?
Maybe it was starting your career. Maybe it was retiring! Maybe it was having your first child. Maybe it was sending them off to college! Maybe it was getting married. Maybe it was the death of your spouse. Maybe it was the opportunity to start a new adventure after a time of loneliness.
Who knows that it takes a lot for a plant to bloom? Conditions have to be right. Soil, air, water, temperature, time. It takes a lot of effort for a tiny seed to bloom. It also takes a lot of effort in our lives to have those blooming moments. Circumstances, people, choices, time, resources.
The definition of blooming is freshness, vigor, and beauty. It also goes on to say that it is an opening to a higher perfection. I love that! Let's seek higher perfection today as we learn how to bloom and flourish in our everyday lives.
We will study together the Parable of the Sower found in Luke 8:4-8.
Complimentary Scripture passages will include John 10:10, John 1:1, John 4:14, Matthew 6:22-34, Philippians 4:4-7
While our desire is to bloom in a healthy and vigorous way, God also desires and equips us to flourish. His plan for us is to grow and develop in ways that are only truly possible with favorable conditions developed within us.
You will trample His Word with poor choices.
You will have rocks distract you from developing the deep relationship with Christ that you need to have for when life gets hard.
You will be choked by weeds and thorns that don’t let you grow in your faith.
The good soil within our hearts is where God can empower us to create an environment for real change. With His guidance, we can overcome any obstacle and change every circumstance within our control to grow toward His empowering glory.
