An Ounce of Perspective

I've got 3 posts sitting in my drafts folder that I just couldn't bring myself to publish. Why not? They're well-written, they're full of the realities of this journey, they're a great look into the process...and they're so whiny even I can't stand it. They're full of figuring out how I got to this place personally/financially/spiritually, hashing through some of the hurts that still bring an unexpected sting, stumbling around the recesses of my mind trying to find the sense in what God may be doing with all of this, blah, blah, blah... Sometimes the Lord just holds you back from putting something out there until you've seen some of the end of the process (or at least *this step* in the process). Until He gives you some perspective.

Some perspective came into my life today. Of course, it has done it while I'm cooking lunch and I'm afraid that all the insight will be watered down if I wait too long to dump it from my brain to the page, so I'm multitasking here. Which probably means the kids will be eating burnt lunch today...

Anyway, I looked out my kitchen window and saw the most beautiful thing...check out the pic:


It's a gorgous lily, isn't it? Nobody planted it. It just volunteered there. I even asked the neighbor. Nope, he didn't do it. Wow. What a blessing. Right in front of my face, this beautiful reminder of the surprises that God puts into our lives; totally unexpected, arriving overnight, sneaking up on you when you least expect it, and in dazzling, full-on,wide-open glory.


Now, let me show you the "perspective shots" that happened when I went out to get that close-up. Look at the environment in which this amazing flower "VOLUNTEERED."

The soil conditions: Not the choice, rich, dark soil you'd expect; just plain old Florida sand with a healthy sprinkling of weeds.



The weather conditions: Impending storm rolling in. And this IS Central Florida, so you can expect them *every* afternoon for the forseeable future.


The immediate environment: Those of you unfamiliar with RVing will not realize the significance of that hose in the background. That's the sewer dump line. Yep, this little plant VOLUNTEERED to live right by that. Ponder the fullness of that for a bit...

Hmmmmm...maybe this incredibly beautiful flower is NOT just a metaphor for the surprises God gives His kids. Maybe it's a humbling picture of who His kids are supposed to be willing to be. Rooted in simple ground - not the best by worldly standards but sufficient to support life. Content to be outdoors - blooming happily, not stubbornly refusing to open up - when the winds bluster and the rains fall, knowing it's going to be nearly incessant. Standing tall, straight, and beautiful right alongside the most disgusting, rancid, foul waste imaginable.


Maybe I need to stop whining already and accept my surroundings, the fact that the bugs will nibble on me and the birds will fly over and probably leave presents on my leaves; maybe it's enough that God created me to be beautiful here. Despite the environment. Despite the incessant, every day storms that roll in. Despite the sewer line that is my neighbor (there's a whole other metaphor there for loving your neighbor as you love yourself but I'll let you go there on your own...). Maybe my life is spectacular - it's just that it's hard to see that when you're a flower who has no eyes to see how beautiful you are and whose face is always lifted up toward the sky to drink in the sun and the rain and whatever else may fall.

Oh, yeah, that lily outside my window has a LOT to teach me...

Comments

  1. you have such a beautiful way of putting things into words. I absolutely love reading your blog. thanks for sharing this. You have no idea how much you encourage me.

    I love you, Becky, and I miss you so much.

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