Are You In Full Bloom?

This week's photo was taken at the Creation Museum just outside Cincinnati, OH.  I am not sure what type of plant this is but was impressed with its beauty.

We understand, on some level, the cycles of life that God has put in place in His creation.  Among the most magnificent is that of the plants and their seasonal changes particularly how they bloom.

We also face cycles in our lives.  Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes that "there is a time for everything under the sun."  He then went on to describe several of the ups and downs that we might face.

If we want to flower or bloom as so many of the beautiful plants then we need to cultivate habits in our lives just as we cultivate those plants in our care.

Plants are not immune from the elements, and require actions to be preserved in extreme conditions.  If, for example, you have planted a garden early in spring it is possible that a cold snap could damage or kill some of your tender young plants if you do not take the time to cover them.  We too face times where we need an added layer of protection, be it physical or spiritual.

Plants require water to survive, and so do we.  Hydration is a vital component to our health.  Increasing your hydration alone can pay dividends for us that will improve our "blooms".  Spiritually we are born of blood and water through baptism into Christ.

In a garden the plants will thrive when they are given proper fertilizers.  We too must be fed, the spritual food that is the Word of God, and the right physical food to nourish our bodies.  Without either of these we begin to flounder and lose our blooms.

Our plants when well maintained are strong and yet flexible.  We need to look at our physical abilities and ask are we strong and flexible?  If not we should take action to improve in these areas with specific forms of exercise.  Spiritually we must know the Word and be strong in it, while knowing it well enough to be flexible to respond to the multifaceted attacks that will come.

I am sure there are several other lessons available in looking at the beauty of the plant life around us, but today these leapt out at me for consideration.  I hope that each of you will Do Well in improving your bloom, perhaps it will put a smile on the face of someone you come into contact with in the future, just as this plant made me smile a couple of days ago.