Rose Garden

As everyone who has a toddler knows, it is not easy. Much of the time it is downright hard. So the other day, as it was being pretty rough, I thought to myself.....`This sure isn't a bed of roses'

But then, as I pondered on where that statement must have originated (yes, I do over analyze a lot :0) I began to think that my life might just be a bed of roses.

Rose gardens are beautiful.

They begin with a lot of hard work. Clearing out the weeds, loosening the soil, dredging up anything that might have been buried in the past that could affect the growth of this fragile plant. Once all that background work is done, and possibly redone several times, depending on the conditions of your soil to begin with, adding some of this or that to make ideal growing conditions.

Then, finally, one day, when you thought you couldn't stand another minute, you are ready to finally plant this beauty.

Only now you find you have to add manure and fertilizer and water...... a lot. You have to wake up in the middle of the night if it's too cold outside to make sure the plant is warm enough.

Finally, the first bloom begins to grow and blossom. It has the most infinitely sweet blossom, because, even if the other blossoms smell the same.... this is the first. It is so treasured- that first glimpse of what this plant is capable of.

Suddenly the fatigue from the planning, tilling, digging, fertilizing, planting, nurturing all fade away as you gaze lovingly at that first single bloom.

There will be thorns. There most likely will be "bugs" and "pests" both on your plant and around you while you tend to it. Sometimes pruning is hard, but it has to be done for new growth to appear- everything needs boundaries. Sometimes you feel too busy to enjoy the blossoms on this plant that you've been growing and nurturing. But, most of the time, you take the time to spend outside, close to that rose garden, as the sweet aroma surrounds and fills the environment bringing a smile to your face and peace to your heart.

So go the wanderings in my mind as I pray that God will be the master gardener in all our lives, lovingly pruning us, casting off all the dead and dying self so we can bloom more brilliantly as time moves on.

Thank you for my precious little "bud"dy. May his Papa and I always seek your face in how to prepare the soil of his life so he can blossom and bloom more and more everyday!! And I begin to pray now for the grace to know when he is ready to be transplanted so I don't stunt his growth by trying to keep him in my little garden I've prepared so lovingly for so long for him.

Thank you for the thorns that teach us not to take the beauty for granted, as well as a wake up call to be careful. When not handled correctly, even the most beautiful bloom can get you into a "sticky" situation.

Thank you for the manure in life. It's scent quickly fades, yet usually produces an even more abundant sweet smelling crop.

Thank you for pruning so I don't have to carry around all that dead weight and baggage and I can put all my efforts into making my life as sweet incense to You.

Bloom where you are planted making the world a better and richer place for your being there!!