I’m not much of a gardener. Thankfully my husband, Brent, is and that is why I get to enjoy a garden full of flowers. Whenever I join him at a nursery, I get excited about something new we haven’t seen that’s in bloom. I typically ask if we can put it somewhere in the garden, and he checks the tag to see how & where it will grow best, i.e. shade, partial sun, or full sun, will it survive frost etc.
I recently had a routine medical appointment and showed up with flowers. It’s fun to see faces light up as I walk through the halls of Kaiser with a garden bouquet. The medical assistant erroneously assumed that I’m a tremendous gardener. I was quick to make sure she knew that it’s my husband who hears the plants speaking- for example “we need water.” The plants can literally scream at me and I can walk right by.
After the last post “Joyfully Grown”, I’ve had the process of growing on my mind. Additionally my Christmas gift of Dahlia tubers is adding beautiful blooms to the garden daily. These exquisite flowers come in so many shapes and sizes, but they have one thing in common- they want partial to full sun to thrive.
Ps 89:15-16a says, “Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, Lord. They rejoice in your name all day long;” Expressing gratitude is a way we can praise God, or acclaim Him by giving Him glory. When we do this, we enter into the light of His presence.
Today I was encouraged by Psalm 105:4 ESV “Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His presence continuously.” We grow best in the light of His presence, and thankfully we’re promised in Jer 29: 13-14 that when we seek God with all our heart, we will find Him.
Living in the light of God’s presence is like turning up your face to the sun, closing your eyes (protect those retinas people!) and soaking up the rays on your skin. God’s light helps us to grow in the best ways possible and produce the most amazing fruit or blooms in our life.
When trying to change my outlook by beginning a gratitude list, one of my go to favorites is chocolate (to keep it real), but also that because I have a relationship with God I am never ever alone no matter what I’m going through either a high or a low on this roller coaster called life. This is the reason that those who walk in the light of His presence always have reason to rejoice.
Lets soak up these last days of summer sunshine and may they remind us of the One who made the sun, and makes it rise each day to end the night and bring light again.
Another item for a gratitude list- kettle corn from the fair! & healing feet. Thankfully the feet are improving, the scooter was just to get around the fair 😁 Lesson learned- ask how big the large is before you assume that’s what you need 🙄😆
