until it blooms...

that lit' shadow of a tree today... photo doesn't pay it justice,  shall paint it soon.

Crepe Myrtle is in bloom.  Always love when it comes into bloom – for the tree represents much.  It was a long hoped for tree in my Florida yard.

- loved seeing it referenced in the Bible—and the thought that a piece of the ancient of times could be in this families yard,

Well, as said, meant a lot.  

 It  a tree, could never afford to buy. So it stayed on the wish list. 

One day at the home improvement store getting some essentials, looked over in the clearance plants on a rack.   

The Plants that are one step from the trash heap—

they either sickly or out of bloom or have some trait

that has them marked for removing them from being with the ‘worthy’ plants.

There was a stem of a small tree.  The label read crepe myrtle.  It had no leaves let alone a bloom—and very few out reaching branches.  It was a pretty sad specimen of a tree –and of the beloved crepe myrtle at that.  The label said it had lavender blooms.  It was in a good sized pot, and almost as tall as me.  Now that think about it – it looked a wee bit like me at 13—minus the unruly hair.  A bean pole, limbs not yet filled out or caught up to its trunk.  The Crossed out price tag, scribbled in $30… stepped away from the find—that still a lot of money for me— saying still can’t afford this find.

As went on to pick up some more so called essentials at the store, the shadow of a crepe myrtle tree kept tugging at me.  I went over and starred at its hopeless state—couldn’t stand thinking it would end up as trash—

sighed,

Put it in my cart, took out another not quite essential item for today, and brought it home.   

Yes, it brought laughs from family…

’mom, what is that?’ 

I proclaimed ‘it’s a crepe myrtle in my favorite shade, hoping can nurse it till it blooms.’  

 No volunteers to dig out the large hole needed,  so began to dig, set it in the center of largest plant bed, flanked by palms and plumbago around the edges, camouflaging its nakedness, while nurturing and pampering its hoped growth.

The life of this tree made me think of the Scripture in the Bible passage of a fig tree.  That Scripture always seemed harsh that Jesus would say such.  I often read it in hopes of better understanding it…

Stating in the passage, three years; three years is ample time – it shares, give it one more...  Call me patient or perhaps persistent, though many a season it has been lovely, It just may have been four years before it starting looking like a Crepe Myrtle. It kept hanging in. 

It now has been approximately fifteen years plus since planting that shadow of a tree.  Children have since grown and gone off on their own, so to speak.  The crepe myrtle now reaches up and out past the palms, and is indeed the prettiest of the 26 trees in this yard… in my humble opinion that is.   

It is still reaching for its full potential; it certainly is lovely when its lilac colored flowers come into bloom.  So glad it wasn’t given up on, or left as a hopeless case.

Who or what are you looking at today that tempts you to say it’s hopeless, a loss cause? 

Is something tugging at your heart string to tell you that it’s not ___???

That’s the truth speaking, whispering. 

Don’t give up on something that its full bloom season in life hasn’t had its chance to bless your life with it yet. 

Exceedingly more than you can imagine just may be the blessing at hand if you nurture it. 

As is this tree, the prettiest on the land – Godspeed.

If you are the one doing the giving up or the one being given up on--- be not afraid. 

"Scent's of Spring" plein air oil by K Hitt copyrighted (lilacs)

Look up, 

pray.  

 Fertilize the good,

 that its full potential may be had,

 Don’t only look at the bad…

EVER

That is NEVER Gods plan-

Look for the good

And you’ll find it

And it

Will grow and bless

Your caring hands…

Love never fails

God- is love-

In Jesus’ name the

Amen is spoken

And it is done.

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Bible is bookmarked at Jonah 1:1-8… it makes me as uneasy as the passage of the fig tree sometimes.  Hope to not go in the opposite direction of God’s call on my heart, and wind up in the belly of a big fish--- or be a fig tree with no fruit on the verge of being cut down.  

Isn't it just like Godspeed, and Fine timing, for God’s Artist eyes in me to notice and remember the story behind the beautiful Crepe Myrtle tree in front of me.

Yes, the Crepe Myrtle tree is in bloom.

Thank you God.

Hope indeed remains in You

I pray to hear, heed your call. 

I pray for us all that may be on the verge of doubt or giving up on – or being given up on—

that the sweet scent of a bloom comes to heart and the good is held on to and nurtured,

That when its blooming seasons comes- there is great joy in getting to be in its full bloom.

More joy than known today-

or could have ever imagined.

The book of Jonah intro reads: 'The book depicts the larger scope of God’s purpose for Israel, that she might rediscover the TRUTH of His concern for the WHOLE CREATION and that she might better understand her own role in carrying out that concern.'

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Yes, am reminded that what may look like a shadow of a tree today

Ready to be thrown away even

With being given a chance on new life 

with the nurturing of ALL that is Good in it

Come into full

Beautiful blooms

Exceeding more than could have ever imagined.

How nice the Crepe Myrtle tree is in bloom

Godspeed.

Prayer: Father, thank You…. In Jesus’ name Amen

Luke 20:38 ‘He is not the God of the dead,

But of the living,

For to Him

ALL are alive.”-Jesus’ red letters

AMEN my Lord

Amen

Artist Studio Life- Oil - By K. Hitt copyrighted (sharing blooms)