There isn’t really anything earth shattering about this post.  There were no plane rides or getting lost in a different city.  It’s an every day kind of post with a new kind of adventure. 🙂

“THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF KNOWLEDGE: BUT FOOLS DESPISE WISDOM AND INSTRUCTION.” – PROVERBS 1:7

If there is anything sillier than a lesson in friendships with plants someone feel free to let me know..

If you’re confused reading this just think how it is 24/7 in my brain.  It’s pretty awesome how God works out the big things in our lives with the tiniest details.  My basil plant, for instance, is a good example of my first experience with ‘love’ since meeting my best friend.

I’ve never been good with plants, but I’ve never cared about plants.  I think they’re pretty and, really, who doesn’t love a bunch of beautiful colors of happiness in a vase on their table?!  But, I always kill them.

A few years ago I decided to plant some daisies because they are my favorite and I wanted to look at them all the time.

I bought a pot, some soil, and some daisies.  Then, I bought some more pots and a hibiscus.  Then another .  And another.

I have an all or nothing personality.

They all died.  I have a black thumb…or so I thought.

I’m not good with the patience, so if it doesn’t stay long or come back my abandonment issues flare up.  Annuals.  Perennials.  Who has time?  Yes, I know.  Jesus has a lot to work with.  Admitting is the first step. 😀

Did you know you have to actually take care of things?  You know what requires caring?  Love.  You know what love does?  It gives life.  It sustains.  It puts others needs before their own.  What happens if you forget about something and don’t take care of it?  It dies.

Let me tell you about Basil:
Basil is the first thing I’ve ever CHOSEN to be mine and CHOSE to keep alive and take responsibility for.  A few months ago I decided to make spaghetti for dinner and there is nothing like fresh basil.  At the grocery store there were no mini plastic sleeves of it, but they had a plant with soil!  What in the world am I going to do with a plant, but I NEEDED FRESH BASIL.  I bought it, used some leaves, and realized the ‘daunting’ responsibility ahead with a choice: throw it away or give it a chance.  I felt bad about throwing the whole plant away because it was so beautiful and beaming with potential.

I chose to go against my past that consisted of serial plant murders.  Jesus made me a new creature and one of the outward evidences that I could indeed love something was going to be this basil plant.  I mean, it’s not the commitment of an animal and it’s not a human that talks back and requires MORE attention (SO NEEDY!!)…this sounded like the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

I was going to keep it alive.

I followed the directions and put the little plastic container in a tupperware bowl with some water and put it on the windowsill.  It was a new exciting season of adventures and beginnings (no pressure!).

A couple months pass and the plant was still alive (!!!!!), but needed to be transplanted to a bigger container.  I was fearful that messing with it would kill it so I left Basil alone.

This is where the lesson comes in: My fear of killing it was literally killing it.

It needed space to grow.  Basil was smothering in its tiny plastic cup because of my fear of change.  Just like in life there are seasons of moving forward and spreading our wings…Basil needed room to grow.  The leaves were getting smaller and turning a light yellow. It was withering.  It was not a vibrant, happy plant anymore.

Still, I wouldn’t touch it because I’d never done it before and didn’t want to cause longterm damage.  (Can you imagine me in the medical field??)

FINALLY, I realized I couldn’t have made it any worse so I decided to face my fear.  I bought a small plastic pot and hoped for the best.  I drilled holes in the bottom to avoid root rot and kept water in the bowl like before.  When my aunt came over and said to just water from the top twice a week I was like WHHHAAAAT.  But she has a garden so I did what she said.  I made sure to continue watering it, but not leaving water at the bottom and you know what?  It began looking happy again.  It had room to breathe instead of being trapped by my fear.  It was getting greener and taller.

Doesn’t that sound silly?  A lot of what seems silly to the world’s standards are God’s greatest lessons.

“BUT GOD HATH CHOSEN THE FOOLISH THINGS OF THE WORLD TO CONFOUND THE WISE; AND GOD HATH CHOSEN THE WEAK THINGS OF THE WORLD TO CONFOUND THE THINGS WHICH ARE MIGHTY;” – 1 CORINTHIANS 1:27

What I would normally run from I chose to stay.  Something that could have so easily been tossed in the garbage I chose to love and give a home.  Just think how that one example with a plant is really a tiny percent in the grand scheme of the world’s thinking. People can so easily be thrown away and tossed to the side.  They’re looking for one chance to be loved and seen as treasure.  God doesn’t make junk.

This relationship started getting weird though when I took it outside on a beautiful day because I wanted it to be able to enjoy its natural habitat.  I mean, I’m sure if it had legs it would have opened the door and walked outside itself.  It just needed some help.  Pretty soon we’re going to go on adventures together.  I already have my RV bike picked out for traveling.

One time I forgot my basil plant outside and couldn’t find it.  You’d think I had lost a child how frantically I was running around the house like I dropped it off somewhere on the way to picking up clothes or something.

Another time I heard my Dad outside and he said, “Aww…Little B”.

I assumed he was talking about the neighbor’s cat, but his name is Simba and I was completely confused and wondered where he got “Little B” from.  When I walked outside I saw my basil plant had gotten knocked over by the wind.  I ran and picked it up and said “Well, now I know you can’t be left alone with my future kids!  Why didn’t you pick it up??”
“What??  I called the mom for help.” 😛

This is getting weirder and weirder.

Then, he said, “And I called it by a nickname…?”

I told my friend that story and she said “That’s why you need a blog.”

Um.  I think what I actually need may be some help.  What a bizarro life this has turned into.

I mean, God clothes the lilies of the field and feeds the birds of the air (Matthew 6)……..how much control do I have over a basil plant verses the Creator of the world (Genesis 1).  Not much, but I can love it.  That’s what we are required to do.  Love with abandon.  😀

…And love is not just giving or taking.  It’s both.  I provide love, water, and share God’s sunshine.  In return I get delicious spaghetti and pesto.

I expanded my heart and bought some parsley and tomatoes.  I started a plant experiment and will provide details soon, hopefully.  Why kill 2 plants when you can kill 6?