Many, many years ago, I heard a sermon in which the preacher made the following statement, "Anything that is dead, ought to be buried."
At the time, I thought it rather in poor taste for the preacher to put it quite that bluntly. He was referring to a church that had lost its love for the Lord.
It has been nearly 34 years since I heard that statement but I've thought of it many times through the years. I have found it to be a true statement in various and sundry situations.
One such being today when we arrived home from visiting with our children and their families at the beach. Upon walking up to our front door, I found that my petunias had died.
They bit the dust.
They were so beautiful and full of blooms when I brought them home from the store. I had tended to them very carefully. Watered them just as the directions indicated. Placed them in the proper sunlight vs shade. Gave just the proper amount of plant food.
No matter. Soon they started to wilt. I could see the end was drawing near, but I kept thinking they would come around and live after all. I was in denial and just did not want to give them up. I had failed and that too was difficult to accept.
But the preacher's long ago statement once again rang loudly in my ears. They were no longer just wilted, but completely shriveled and dried up. Gone.
It hurt my heart but I did what I had to do. I uprooted them and placed them in a trash bag.
Tomorrow, I'll plant something new.
...a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; Ecclesiastes 3:2
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Hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July, I know I did. Any day I can spend with my children and their families is a really, really GREAT day!
God bless our troops and may He keep them safe and under His wings at all times. Might we all remember they are someones son or daughter, someones husband and daddy, someones brother or sister, someones aunt or uncle. We love you son and pray for you daily.
God bless America.
4 comments:
Sadly, so many Churches are just as dead. It breaks my heart. Imagine what it does to our Father's heart.
Susan
Thank you to your son for his service.
I'd never heard that phrase but it makes sense. Sorry about your petunias. Good message in your post.
A very handsome son, with two very proud parents! I hope everything is okay.
your son is very brave to be out there. My thoughts are with him and you, too.
About petunias...we have them, too and they are extremely sensitive to heat. If you catch them wilted in time and give them ample water, they'll be perked up later in the day.
I wish it were the same with humans. Alas, no.
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