new life

When my dad died about two years ago, friends were so very kind and supportive. Several came to the visitation the night before the funeral and others came to the funeral and had lunch with us. Some of those friends and others that were not able to come (the service was an hour away from where we live), sent flowers and plants. Among those were six peace lilies. Two months later, when our daughter was married, we used them to decorate for the wedding.

After the wedding, I gave two away and brought four of them home and tried to keep them in the house, but our house is small and they weren’t doing real well anyway. So, the next spring, the Hubby put them on the patio outside and they thrived! We enjoyed watching them grow and bloom. 

Fall came and the weather grew cooler and I kept thinking that I needed to bring them in or give them away....but I didn’t do either. Then one night, a freeze came and, oh my goodness, they were black and sad and dead. I was so disappointed and aggravated with myself. I kept thinking..."I should have saved at least one!" I did not have the heart to dispose of them, so I just let them sit.

Then spring came, and lo and behold, three of them came back to life! Where the old, dead leaves were, new lush green ones appeared! We repotted them (put two in one large pot) and this is what they look like today!

I am so very grateful that God redeemed my mess up and gave new life to these special plants!

When I was looking at them today, I couldn’t help but think...that’s a picture of what God does for us. He takes our mess of a life and redeems it, restores it, and gives us new life in Him.    

 “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person.

      The old life is gone; a new life has begun.” 

II Cor. 5:17NIV

Now that is something to be grateful for!