Failure is an Option

Back in June I wrote a blog titled, "Be An Ice Cube STAT". I highlighted a a picture of an orchid my daughter Alli gave me; an orchid I thought has died. I told of how, with loving care and nurturing, my husband resurrected the near dead orchid. 

I feel now, as I did when I first wrote that blog, that we all need that loving touch sometimes and other times we may need to be the water to there arid dryness. I had the picture of a perfect, vital community sitting right on my kitchen windowsill. I love looking at each day and it gives hope for humanity; hope for our planet. Everyone helping when help is needed. We all lean on each other when we need to lean and we prop up when we prop up. Together, beauty is found. Here is the beautiful first orchid of the resurrected plant. It almost looks artificial, doesn't it? I love the delicacies of this flower. Is is transparent and fragile, yet sturdy with help.



Check this out! Here is the same plant in August. If you are having trouble counting, it holds not one, not two, not three but NINE blossoms. It still has the stick but only because it became so heavy with weight from holding up all the blooms. Beautiful! Amazing. I had to capture this picture. I felt as though God was blessing us because of our great care; our dedication. By "our" I mean Joe but what's mine is his and what is his is mine. I share in his victory. We are awesome! This is proof that if you love something, take care of it you will achieve greatness. What a glorious trophy of horticulture prowess , right in the kitchen. I pondered moving it to the living room so I could share it with everyone that came to our home. (Joe stopped me explaining the lighting was not correct in the living room.)

King Solomon is considered the author of the collection of wisdom statement in the Bible titles, Ecclesiastes. The name implies Solomon penned this wisdom so that it could be shared or taught with the gathered assembly of people.  One of the most recognized passages from this book is:

"For everything there is a season,
     and a time for every purpose under heaven.
A time to be born, and a time to die; 
     a time to plant, a time to pluck up that which is planted." Ecclesiastes 3:1-2

This is the passage that ran through my head as I watched the beautiful, bountiful flower, decrease and appear to flounder. The passage was more to calm and sooth me as I panicked thinking Joe was doing something wrong. (Yes, I noticed now it is all Joe. That is how I roll. Joe loves me anyway.) I mean really, he had to be doing something wrong. It was so full and lovely. Yes, I get flowers don't live forever, but before as one would wither and its life would end one, sometimes two would be right behind it to fill in the gap. I began to loose faith in Joe's green thumb, the light and shade in the back yard, the cleanliness of the kitchen window. Could it be so dirty that the light is filtering through insufficiently? I didn't clean, mind you, but I did wonder. I worried that we hadn't been the support the flower needed. We failed as a community. All the while I kept saying the passage over and over in my head, hoping against hope Solomon is as wise as he is given credit for. Letting it be a "season" removed the guilt of maybe doing something wrong. I would have something to tell Alli when she came hope, ran to the kitchen to see her gift withering away before her eyes. (Probably not really but I would feel bad!) What did we do wrong?!?!?!?


Nothing. It is the end of a cycle. The orchids need a break. Joe noticed they need to be moved into a larger pot. The roots are poking out in an area of the pot. It holds the  promise of blooms, new life to come in small bumps n the stem. Joe pointed out it's leaves are healthy, it's stem is bent from hard work carrying a heavy load but it is stringer than it once was. Once again this beautiful gift is providing a big lesson. Life has up moments and down moments. Life will make you tire and use you but not use you up. When you give, and give, and give you look spent and down but you are still not out. And aster some rest, life will spring forth and this time you will be stronger, wiser and better equipped to handle what life could bring. The season you are in is just fine. There will be a new season in time. 

To everything there is a season...turn, turn, turn