Something New, Something Inevitable

I recall hearing the infamous Holocaust survivor, Corrie Ten Boon say something to the effect of "Hold onto things with loose fingertips." To be more direct, in the book of James we are reminded in 4:14, "why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes."

Life being what it is, we never know what will happen and must be open or prepared for anything. More than anything, prepared, is what I prefer to be. Sometimes this is feasible and other times not.

While driving to the airport on this past beautiful, sunny Saturday, I hear, the announcer very matter of factly, inform us of a frost forecast for Sunday. Twenty eight degrees- yikes! The one weekend I decided to go away and my garden was left defenseless against Mr.Jack Frost. What could I do? Desperately, I called my mom and dad to see if they could go over and cover the plants. I left a message and never heard back from them, so I wasn't sure if the pink Hydrangea along with the others had survived or not. Upon returning last night, I saw mom and dad had indeed answered my call for help and everything was in tact.

However, driving home tonight, I hear once again, "Patches of frost expected throughout the valley." After dinner, I pulled out the white, tall, kitchen garbage bags and headed out the door with a pair of scissors in hand. Clear as day, inside my head, I hear, "You're prolonging my work." Yes,I know the frost is inevitable for this time of year, but naturally, I still want the precious flowers to last through til the end of the month.

Once I got outside, I proceeded to slit the bags down each side and then carefully cover the flowered plants while tucking the sides under stones. Some of them still have new buds that have not yet opened. I don't want to see them die.

After treading back upstairs and into the warmth of my apartment, I remembered a verse I read this morning from Isaiah 43:19, "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up, do you not perceive it?"

I love the pink Hydrangeas, and white impatiens amongst the other blossoms in the garden, much like I love many other things in my life as well. I wish they bloomed year round. I wish Jack Frost was an enemy they would never encounter. Yet, I also know that change can be refreshing and is always inevitable. It is the something new God brings to us through His hand.

No doubt, I'll still be outside each night the rest of this week, doing what I can to protect the blossoms that remain. May God grant me the serenity needed to accept the things I can not change.