Flourishing…

You might find this quite odd, but as an avid gardener, I actually speak to my plants. I walk around the yard and tell them how well they are doing. I use words like spectacular and wow as I take the time to appreciate them. Some struggle a bit and I let them know if there’s no improvement they have to go. I ask them what they need in order to be successful? Well, they don’t answer obviously (smile), but with a little thought I can figure out what’s wrong. I finally learned my Diva Hydrangeas don’t like too much sun. But if you move them to a better spot they flourish. They look at me with their light green, new growth as if to say, “We like it here.” There are sun lovers and shade lovers and some who prefer a mixture. If you get it wrong, you find out very quickly. But, if you get it right, they flourish. In all of their infinite variety (thanks God), they were all designed to flourish, as long as the conditions were right. The flora do not decide the conditions. They abide by them. You and I have been programmed to flourish, we just need to keep ourselves in the right conditions.

Here is a part you may not get. Life doesn’t necessarily work how you think it works. All of the cause and effect apparent isn’t always the cause and/or the effect. You have concluded that if you get sick it is because of something you did or didn’t do, or else a punishment inflicted, or because you ate/smoked/had fat/chose wrong/did too many this and not enough that! So as long as you do it all right everything should be okay. But, it’s not okay. People who didn’t live with 25 miles of a smoker, still got lung cancer. Sickness and disease have a spiritual source and a spiritual solution. Not knowing leaves you prey to whoever says what you need the loudest, next! Not making a case for squares, believe me. Instead, making a case for things not happening or happening for reasons other than the ones you have been thinking. The most misunderstood enablement God gave us is our ability to think. We think thoughts, many, many thoughts yet assign no real meaning or value to them. They are just thoughts, you know? Yet, my friends, nothing could be further from the truth. Those thoughts you have been thinking form the basis of your beliefs. They are the precursor to the things that actually happen in your life and the things that do not happen, despite your heartfelt petitioning. The thoughts you choose each day form the conditions by which you may flourish or else wither day by day. Time spent in the wrong environment, dark thoughts of worry and fear, negative mindsets and expectations, bitterness, resentments, cynicism all act as thick weeds binding your growth and reducing your life from one that is flourishing to one that is surviving. Gettin’ by the best you can… Is that it?

You do not have to drive yourself crazy trying to crack all the codes to success in order to be cared for or have your needs met. That’s more of that wrong cause and effect. It’s the surface maybe, but not what’s behind it, not what it’s really made of. You just have to get yourself into the right conditions. Not circumstances! Nothing to do with your current circumstances. Your current circumstances are the natural outworking of your former thoughts and beliefs. Your thoughts did matter. I digress. God already provided everything you will ever need. He is the flourishing. Our job is align ourselves with the mental environment He said for us to choose. Think how He said to think. Refuse fear thoughts. Banish negativity. Forgive someone. Forgive yourself. Don’t work on changing the world by slowly killing yourself with every effort. Align your mind and heart with God. Let Him be God while you do you! Look, you know if your life is working for you or not. You know how you feel inside. Are you flourishing? OMG keep going! But, if you’re not flourishing or maybe even just surviving, then maybe a change of conditions is required. No amount of fertilizer can make a Hosta grow in the sun! Change the conditions and they will flourish. You can flourish again…

You would not believe all of the beauties that live in my yard. Striking red Canna Lillies vying for attention. White Hydrangeas, pink Hydrangeas and blue Hydrangeas, all occupying different homes. The Roses have all gone bananas along with the 10 gallon Mums. The Lavender reaches unto heaven and brings along a million little bees. The Rose of Sharon, the Hibiscus, the trees, the flowering and non-flowering bushes all flourishing amidst a carefully designed ecosystem that works best for each one of them. I don’t plant them where they don’t belong, well not twice anyway. Nor do I demand that they work harder or produce under less than ideal conditions. They are my babies and I put them where they are happiest. In return they do what God designed them to do. They flourish and fill my heart with joy. Imagine how much you could flourish if you did it God’s way and filled His heart with joy. Imagine flourishing like that…

Just some good thoughts…