We’ve had a lot of rain here in Texas and it’s caused a lot of devastation.
It’s been fantastic for our little garden . . . well, it’s been fantastic for me, the gardener.
Instead of having to head out with a garden hose every single day, I’ve had the pleasure of watching the beautiful vines and shoots, without the extra effort of caring for them. They’re covered with blooms and signs of life.
They’ve weathered the spring storms.
They’ve taken the beating of the rain, withstood the thunder and not been washed away by the heavy influx of rain. They have grown even stronger and bloomed vivaciously.
It appeared as though the work was done.
But this weekend, as I stood in awe of the beautiful flowering vines of the cucumber plant, I noticed something else about their growth. Those radiant yellow flowers, that mark the locations of the soon-to-be cucumbers?
They have to die.
While the little baby cucumber grows stronger, the bright yellow bloom must shrivel up,die, be pushed off the end, and fall to the ground.
What was once a sign of life and beauty, falls away to make room for the real purpose of the plant to unfold.
And those little prickly baby cukes? They don’t look like much. It might seem like things weren’t going well, that something was desperately wrong. But the plant keeps soaking up the water and stretching toward the sun.
It stays focused on becoming what only the cucumber plant can become.
It’s not meant to be a vivid orange trumpet vine, dazzling us with its show. It will never be a fragrant honeysuckle pleasing our senses with its pleasant aroma. It’s not sturdy enough to cover the ground to make a path for us to walk on.
It’s meant to nourish our bodies.
It’s meant to taste like butter and lure little boys away from candy. It’s purpose is so much bigger. Its benefits will last so much longer.
If you’ve been wondering why you’re losing your yellow blooms.
If you’re not happy with your prickly new appearance. If you feel like your leaves are too big or your stalk is too weak. If you just can’t understand why you’re not the same as you used to be. . .
Remember the cucumber.
We don’t need you to be a trumpet vine, a honeysuckle or ground cover.
We simply, desperately, need you keep trusting. Keep growing. Keep becoming, the one and only, you.
to more love,
Crystal
