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Ancient History

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Could have been…

Had The House of Mold worked out, today would have been the kids’ first day of school. Sammy would be at Kindergarten right now. Ryley would be settling into first grade, and Aidan would be the proud third-grader. I can’t imagine not having them here, at home with me today. Their noise, their squabbling, their bargaining (“mom, if I pick up 10 toys can I play the XBox?”), their needs, their elaborate popsicle stick and glue projects, their hugs and kisses, their boundless energy…all these things are good for my still-stung heart.

As I sit here sipping my coffee and thinking about how different life would have looked, I am so grateful it didn’t work out. That is an overwhelming realization, however. If God’s wisdom is recognizably wise in retrospect, then it is wise at this very moment. It is wise all the time. It doesn’t mean I have to like it or have the capability to understand it. I don’t and I don’t.

Somehow, He has a way of disarming me when my fist is shaking at Him. He takes my fist, stops it, opens it, and places a mere slice of his wisdom to mingle in with my sweat and tears. It is so big, it becomes harder to make my fist.

I don’t like it, but it is done and it is what it is.

Thrive

…the life of this particular plant became incredibly important and symbolic to me…I cannot let this plant, so linked with our loss, die.

I wrote those words back in March, in a post titled Black Thumb.

Since March:

beforeafter

This past weekend I re-potted the plant I wrote about into a larger container. The timing was a mix of purposeful and providential—I have known for weeks it needed to be done, but I finally found the motivation and deep desire to brave this daring-for-me undertaking. Having a black thumb means I need to read the directions on the big bag of Miracle Grow dirt each time I do something floral. For some reason the simple steps of “put Miracle Grow into container, place plant in container, water” are beyond my capabilities, so it was with a little too much nervousness and trembling that I began my project.

As I did my project, I felt myself slipping into what hubby refers to as my “dark place”…at least I kept this aliveI could have used some Miracle Growplease, plant, don’t die because of this…I cut the roots like a good little gardener (the Miracle Grow bag told me to do it). I packed more dirt around the base of the stems. Is it too packed? Too loose? I watered. Too much? Too little?

I placed the plant back in its spot in the sunny kitchen. It seemed much larger and as I looked at it, turned it around and around on its base, felt the moist dirt, and stroked the leaves, I thought of the day when it would outgrow its new home. I hope it outgrows its new home. I hope it thrives.

Let Freedom Ring

we hold these truths to be self evident

free clip art from leaves of time