Lilacs by Wendy Giles

My husband has once again encouraged me to write something down.  I put it off for a while, as I am not a writer by nature. Besides, how many posts about flowers does anyone really want to read?  I am very cyclical, so if you've heard me talk abut flowers in the summer before, you probably have a pretty good idea where I am headed, anyway.

Somewhere in the heat of summer I tend to get a little dry and discouraged.  Most things out here tend to scorch and die in August- especially during a drought when we have been called to conserve water.  Add to that conserving gas, conserving electricity, and not having air conditioning, and it begins to feel like my body and soul are a little parched, too.

Let me say up front that I know I am blessed.  I have a wonderful husband, two precious sons, a house to live in, food to eat, and every single one of us is healthy.  So, really, I have nothing to complain about.  God is so good, and so faithful, and I deeply know His love for me, on top of the love of family and friends.

I do at times, though, feel a bit discontented.  I look at a lot of the "stuff" around me that has seen better days more than ten years ago now, and I kind of want something pretty.  I know life has so little to do with stuff, and I don't need anything big, yet I have to admit that I am a "goober" for pretty flowers.  I love to see them bloom and move through their seasons, and digging in the dirt does wonders for me emotionally.

I had a burst of energy that coincided with a couple of days that weren't terribly hot, so I went outside and got to work.  I weeded, deadheaded a few bushes, pruned back a tree that needed some attention, removed the dead plants from my baskets and pots, added more dirt to some things, and then cleaned everything up.  It was a lot of work.

I looked around when I was finished and was sadly disappointed, though.  My work didn't translate into a big, beautiful difference. Brown was still the predominant color.  Each basket only had a little sprig of a plant inside and looked fairly ridiculous.  I knew there was the potential for  new growing things in just a few weeks, but I needed (WANTED) some color right away.  I actually drove to the nursery thinking a would spend a couple of dollars on a six-pack of annuals to brighten things up a bit.  When I got there I was saddened to see that the plants they had also looked like they had been through a pretty difficult summer, so I drove home with nothing.

Now, in the scheme of life, I know that having flowers in my yard is really not that important.  If I didn't even have a yard, and couldn't have another flower my life would still be filled with beauty.  My focus really is, and should be, more on people. However, God knows me.  He gives me so much more than I need. A lot of times He chooses to bless my heart with His quiet "I love yous" in a language that reassures me that He sees me, knows where I'm at, and cares what I am feeling- even when it is about something as insignificant as flowers.  

So guess what?  A couple of days later I happened to glance out of my back window and got a surprise.  There, in the heat of August, was a large spike of lilac blossoms.  It was completely out of season, making it that much sweeter of a gift.  If anyone knows me, they know that I love lilacs.  They have been my favorite ever since a was a little girl, fascinated by them at my grandparents' home.  I was so blessed that God cared so much about my heart that He sent me His own encouraging "I love you."

Almost three weeks late, my lilac blossom is mostly faded.  It held on for a very long time.  And, not surprisingly, little green things are growing in my planters and baskets.  In due season, they will grace me with their flowers.  Even though it is still way too hot for me, I am reassured that fall is coming.  We even have the possibility of a wet winter.  We'll see what the Lord has in store for us in the upcoming seasons, but I will also keep my eyes open for those "out of season" blessings.

Wendy Giles

*Photo: Wendy and her miracle lilac on the day it blossomed.

Guest Post: Wendy Giles

Lessons Learned from Tiger

 

We have a cat named Tiger who must have gotten into a fight. On a Sunday afternoon we realized he had a huge, gaping wound, and we were concerned that it needed immediate medical attention. It's important to note that this is not an indoor cat. His mother was abandoned when she was quite young, and pregnant. She had her kittens in our neighbors yard, but brought them to our yard as our neighbors have a sprinkler system which kept getting them wet. At any rate, Tiger is her kitten, and although he has been showered with love and attention from our boys since he was about six weeks old, he is still mostly feral. We had him neutered and we love him and feed him, so in that sense he is our cat.

 

We took Tiger to the hospital and found out he needed surgery, and two weeks of indoor living. This has been hard on him- and us as well. I felt like God wanted me to take note of a few things that I was witnessing about Tiger's behavior because the Lord was wanting me to see some insights into either myself or my relationships with others. At first I felt like I needed to go point by point and explain each one, but I think I'll leave it open to the reader's consideration. The main points that make this understandable is that Tiger must wear a cone. We had to clean his drains twice a day to prevent infection, and he had to be shut in the bathroom at night to keep him from getting into things in the house or failing to use the litter box. Also, because of his strange smell and appearance, his own mother has not recognized him yet as her own son, and continues to hiss at him- very sad!

 

 

Lesson I've learned from Tiger:

• Feeling trapped can make you destructive.
• Sometimes help can look a lot like punishment.
• We can mistake family for strangers because of smell/appearance.
• It's hard to eat and drink on your own when you're wearing the "cone of shame".
• That's when you step in and feed them by hand.
• Medicine that's hidden in food goes down more easily.
• The treatment against infection is sometimes painful.
• The one stuck outside wants desperately to be inside. The one inside desperately wants to be outside.
• We can't always see the big picture.
• Two weeks seems like an eternity.
• It's awful to not be able to scratch your own itch, and such a relief when someone comes to help.
• It's easier when you don't fight it.
• Wounds require a great deal of care to heal properly.
• Fighting can be quite costly and painful.

 

I have to admit that I have been reminded of a couple other things which are much more touching and beautiful:

 

• God didn't set a limit on how much He was willing to pay for my sake. 
• He understands the groaning of my heart which are much too deep for words. 
• He is patient and attentive to detail in caring for my needs which continue throughout my entire life, and not just two weeks.
• He is compassionate even when I am frustrating.

 

I know this list could go on a lot longer, but I will end it for now. I'm sure many others have been put in similar situations, and also have learned valuable lessons.

Wendy

 

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