The desert and dry land will become happy;
the desert will be glad and will produce flowers.
Like a flower, it will have many blooms.
It will show its happiness, as if it were shouting with joy.
As the shelter-in-place continues, my spirit is beginning to wear down. The heat of the summer blankets the desert, so that trips outside are quick and purposeful…not a casual walk with the dog. The hope of a return to “normal” lessens each day as the COVID-19 results are posted. I’ve enjoyed a trip to the beauty salon and dinner out with friends, governed by rules in the use of masks and social distancing. We had a week of fun and family but they have returned home.
And now, what does God want me to do that brings life not only to me in the months ahead, but to those around me?
I’m grateful for the color on my patio. I don’t even mind watering the pots..part of the rhythm of my day. A few snips here and there to remove the spent flowers. I’ve had to find some substitutes for a couple of the pots as the heat has done it’s damage but the new ones are full of joy.
What is giving you life and bringing you joy during this season? Are you blooming? What have you given up to accommodate the safety measures needed? How can you add some back in a way that works and is safe?
How is God watering your soul and moving you out of the heat, trimming the spent blooms so you can bloom even more? Jennie Lusko, says, “A life that blooms with growth doesn’t just happen. Progress requires effort and energy, stamina and sweat, persistence and perseverance.”
We will get through this. I pray that I will have learned to see God in a new way. That Jesus will fill me with peace and purpose. That the Holy Spirit will give me strength. That life will be meaningful. And, that I will bloom.
I pray the same for you.