Monday, April 2, 2012

Blooming on the ground.


There's a small red bud tree growing in the back yard of my childhood home. A few years ago my mom saw this red bud tree on sale at Sam's so she course brought it home. My father willingly planted my mom's impulse buy and the little tree began to take root. A year into the small trees life an unfortunate event occurred.



Our golden retriever Dolly was in the back yard on her lead when she unknowingly wrapped the leash around the delicate truck of the young tree. At that moment she spotted a squirrel in the neighbors yard and took off running. The little red bud's trunk was snapped in half and it fell haphazardly to the ground.
My mom was so sad. She loved red bud trees and the tree had been growing so well...but circumstances cut it's life short.
The little tree lay broken and lonely on the ground as the seasons changed. A year passed. One day as Spring was beginning to awaken the world, my sister looked up from her morning coffee, gazed out the kitchen window and exclaimed,
"Look! The tree is blooming on the ground!"
And sure enough, the tree was ablaze with vibrant red and pink buds.


Blooming on the ground.


My father went out and bound up the small tree's trunk and the tree grew back together-healed with the support of the binds.
I over heard my mom telling the story of the red bud tree to my aunt and I smiled to myself as I realized that I am just like that red bud tree.

It's been a hard month.
A friend took his own life.
I lost a relationship.
A good friend was in a bad accident.
Circumstances have broken me. I've found myself on my face in desperate prayer before the Lord more times than I can count. It's been hard. But still I have hope. The simple flowers on that small tree remind me there is victory and restoration.
I may be on the ground and broken for a while but that doesn't mean I'm not in bloom.

2 comments:

  1. Oh my heart. I love this post. Laying on the ground bloomin'.
    Psalms 34:18

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  2. i love this. I didn't know the story of the redbud. I didn't realize so much was happening with you. We truly need a phone or skype date. Call me anytime.

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