Growing precious things

Spring has arrived, and there’s nothing I enjoy more than sitting on my front porch in the morning with a cup of coffee and Jesus, especially in early spring. The crisp breezes electrify the air, and the chorus of birds creates a sky alive with praise for the Creator. Above all, the flowers are beginning to bloom, and everything is bursting with possibilities!

I am absolutely thrilled to see tulips emerging in my flower bed! This is particularly exciting because we’ve attempted to grow tulips several times in the past, only to have them fail to reappear the following year. Who knows how long these have lain dormant, but here they are, pink and proud and reminding me to never give up hope. It also reminds me that sometimes the precious things aren’t as easy to grow.

Throughout the years, I have sown many seeds into my life, including those related to my career, spiritual journey, and marriage. Some of the things I have sown have been good, and some have not. I’ve noticed that the negative things I’ve planted, like bad seeds or weeds, tend to grow quickly, while the precious things often take longer to flourish or may seem to only have a brief season before withering away.

As a marriage counselor, I frequently observe couples eager to rejuvenate their relationships—ready to pull out the weeds and plant fresh seeds. They enthusiastically practice loving communication and embrace healthy conflict resolution. However, many find themselves slipping back into the negative habits that originally led them to my couch.

As someone who is married myself, I understand this challenge all too well. We strive to cultivate love in our marriages, yet it only takes one harsh word or misunderstanding to quickly create a stubborn patch of weeds. Weeds choke out love and hope as quick as a squirrel can dig up a tulip bulb! (Yes, this has been the demise of many of my bulbs.)

But today, I am wholeheartedly celebrating resilient tulips that have bravely emerged even though I had given up hope. Plus, I know that if tulips blooms once, they will return for many years to come! My mother-in-law, Helen, says tulips don’t establish in one season, but once they do establish, they will bloom and multiply and be quite abundant. But it’s essential that I nurture my prize by protecting them from stubborn weeds. Precious things are like that, though; they require special care, but once established, they can help give us an abundant life.

Let’s renew our commitment to nurturing the areas of our lives where we need growth. Many of us are striving to develop stronger spiritual habits by dedicating time for prayer, while others are focused on planting better seeds in our marriages or raising our children. So, let’s start pulling the weeds that hinder our progress and pay close attention to what we are cultivating! As the Bible reminds us, we should not grow weary in doing good. In due season, if we remain steadfast, we will undoubtedly reap a good harvest.

To God be the glory for my tulips and my spiritual flower beds! And let’s not to forget the question my friend Shakeia Smith always asks, “What are you planting?”