S.O.S: Grow and Let Grow

Before I begin, I want to thank you all for being so patient with me for the lack of posting. Between writing a book, the teenage girl drill team tryouts, work, and funny mishaps all week long (really they weren't funny but for the first time in my life I can laugh instead of worry), I just haven't had much time that matched up with words and energy. But this week alone brought MANY things I knew I wanted to share with you!

We have had so much rain around our area this past Winter and throughout Spring. Don't get me wrong, after a few dryer than normal years it was a welcome treat, but now I am reaping some of the benefits of such a blessing. I have two hydrangea bushes that I planted back in 2013.

They are growing so big this year, and have many blooms. First blooms since I planted them. Well, when I planted them they had blooms but I trimmed them.... and none grew back. I was very sad. Until the last couple of months. I have been taking a few progressive pictures but the ones in this post are from today. The neat thing is .... When I look at them, I am reminded of so much.

Let's take this picture specifically.

The innocent beauty of this bloom really just grabs my heart and leaves me speechless. Especially when I hear the gentle whisper of the Father in Heaven. See, we are much like this bloom both as individuals and as a collective whole.

As individuals there are many areas where we have good solid and strong growth. It is healthy and thriving and more than anything we LOVE this part of our life. Maybe we are pretty solid in our growth as caretakers of our home, yet we are still so tiny in budgeting or money management. Maybe we are doing well in our parenting, but our marriage is lacking. Whatever it is, it is amazing to see in a visual such as this bloom how if we stayed the same ... we would be completely out of balance and sadly we would be not as beautiful if we were growing in more than one area. For those who are striving to go after their goals, yet the other parts of their life is lacking reaching those goals are not as satisfying as they could be.

One thing I will say is that staggered growth results in the thrill and excitement of new blooms in our day to day lives. When one blossom gets full, and you get a sneak peek at a new one forming it is so exciting. We cannot expect to grow and then be done. Growing in our lives is a continued process, and just like this plant, there will be times where it feels like the growth has come to a stop as the plant goes dormant for the winter. We need to rest in those times and understand that the roots are deep and at times the plant itself has to take a break so that the roots can continue to be strong and healthy. The blossoms that we see are not exactly the fruit that is happening right this minute but .... weeks of growth that becomes evident.

That first picture is the perfect example though of how one might be growing more or less than someone right next to them. Here let me post it again, and then I will delve further in.

See, they are both beautiful, but yes one plant is bigger than the other. The larger one has more blooms on it as well. We must be patient with others that may be around us that are not growing at the same speed as us ~ whether it be slower or faster. I have often felt overshadowed when I see others around me growing faster than I, yet I wouldn't' be jealous or hurtful in anyway. I often would be wondering why I couldn't get my act together, but I never blamed them for growing so greatly. When the shoe is on the other foot though.... I don't receive as much acceptance and kindness as when I am not growing. I hate the saying "Misery loves company" and I see it all the time on Social media .... that when someone is hurting their friends and loved ones FEED INTO that.... instead of being honest and truthful. We are NOT helping someone who is living in misery by cheering them on to keep living that way. Perhaps that plant isn't growing because it is being cheered on to stay like it is... not reaching out to develop and grow better.

Be very careful in your lives, of NOT allowing others to stay as they are and not grow, and be very careful in not allowing the ones who HAVE Grown to continue to grow for your lack of support and encouragement. Sure, they may look like they are doing great ~ but inside.. they need you just as much as the plant who is struggling.