Bloom

At the beginning of the year when people were talking about New Year's resolutions I kept thinking I just wanted a word.  A word to direct my thoughts on.  Bloom keeps showing up in my prayers and thoughts and reading.  I want to bloom.  I want my family to bloom.  Bloom is my word. God has brought me to stories of flowers and plants that have reminded me of his redeeming work, and that we can't bear fruit, unless we bloom. 

Fire-weed Flower

I think of the amazing fire-weed flower growing after fire, and total devastation.  It puts down good roots and allows other things to grow too. When one bud blooms the others follow, they pollinate each other.  God knows it has felt like fire and devastation in my life and in my children's lives.  I'm ready for the flowers to bud on this scorched surface. I know we have fertile soil underneath.  The other day I met a woman who has been through significant fires in her life.  She lost her son.  As I listened to her talk she was full of wisdom and strength.  She talked about the things she realized are really important. When I thanked her for sharing and putting things in perspective and told her briefly my struggle.  She reminded me of God's great love and his ability to look through it all and see the heart. I thought of this fire-weed flower.  In the midst of her pain she was able to speak into my life.  She is blooming.  She is pollinating others and allowing others to grow.  I want to be like the fire-weed flower.  I want to allow my children and others to grow.   I'm tired of feeling scorched and barren, I'm ready to bloom.

Hyssop Herb

Another plant that fascinates me is hyssop.   "Cleanse me with hyssop and I will be clean." A flower, a plant used to show ceremonial cleansing in the Bible.  It was used to cleanse people and homes in Leviticus 14.  It was used as a giant paint brush to mark the Israelite's homes with the blood of the lamb during the plagues in Egypt (Exodus 12:22) and it was the stock that held the vinegar offered to Jesus on the cross. (John 19:28-30) This little plant comes up often in God's word.  It looks similar to lavender and is now gracing my bookshelf to remind me of God's cleansing work.  Psalm 51:6-8 says, "You desire truth in the inward being, therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I shall be clean, wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.  Let me hear joy and gladness, let the bones that you have crushed, rejoice."  I love this picture.  God removes the past, removes the hurt, cleanse it all, wash it away and brings joy and gladness and rejoicing.  I want this. To Bloom. 

I'm excited to see what God continues to show me.  I have seen that in order to bloom I have to say no to more things.  I have to be intentional with my time and I have to keep my eyes on Jesus, not on the burdens.  I've changed some priorities and some schedules and had to let go of things I enjoyed, but God's working in it all.  I'm anticipating a beautiful unfolding.