1000 Fields of Roses

…and refilled.

I went to my first carol service of the season on Saturday night.

It started just before the sun set, and was a surprisingly cool evening.
There were carols, testimonies…kookaburras laughing raucously in the trees. Ice cream halfway through. Got the chance to chat to some people I haven’t seen in months.

It’s been so hot lately, hasn’t it?
I have my good days and bad days – according to the last doctor, that’s because of fibromyalgia. I know that’s a real thing, but the way it was presented to me, it felt like “don’t know what’s wrong with you go away”…
At this time of the year a bad day is not helped at all by the heat of the day, which makes it feel like your body is slowly boiling from the inside. Drains energy and motivation, and there’s not much respite at night! I’ve spent a few afternoons lately under the fan, draped in wet cloths, hoping to cool down. Yes, we do have air conditioning, and have been using it when absolutely necessary, but not all the time.
When the weather is not co-operating, it’s good to have other ways of being refreshed. This time of year, a good carol service is one way for me! 🙂

I’ve been watering the garden as much as I can, and it’s holding up well The sunflowers are blooming all over the place! The biggest bush looks a bit like I feel, though – sometimes fresh and bright, but other times wilting or shriveled 😆

There’s apparently a cool change coming this week.
Until then, here’s a verse from my reading today –

“The grass withers and the flowers fall,
    but the word of our God endures forever.”
– Isaiah 40:8

The other day we were driving somewhere, and suddenly there were hundreds of butterflies drifting across the sky, like confetti… not all at once, but they just kept on coming.

Of course, once I stopped to film it, there weren’t so many. You can still see some fluttering past. Otherwise, enjoy the music – it’s one of the free background clips YouTube provide for use in your uploads. It’s called “Wandering Soul”, which seemed appropriate!

It’s spring, although today feels a bit more like summer. Everything’s greening up, and I’ve been adding to the succulents in my pots and gardens. Things are springing from the soil that I’d forgotten about, or didn’t even know were there.
The earth always renews, whatever the preceding blessing or disaster…
I tend to forget that.
When things go wrong, I sometimes forget that there’s capacity for renewal. I see the barrenness, and feel like that’s all there is or will be…
When my plants die (because I’m not a natural gardener!) I think there’s no point trying again. When I feel ill, and everything drags on, I feel like I’ll never be well again.
There is room for renewal – even if not for perfection.

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.”
– Lamentations 3:22-23

Even when lamenting there is room for hope!

I have great hope that my new plants will survive. I’ve kept some of them alive for a while now, and they seem quite hardy. Here’s my new garden…

…and my new pots are now filled.

😀

Looks like we may be heading back in to another period of lockdown – how stringent remains to be seen. Back to staying home and being careful when getting groceries and other necessities…
The other day it was very windy. I had to weight the bases of the airers I was putting the washing on, so they didn’t tip over or blow away.

(I like big books, and I cannot lie! 😀 )

It got me thinking again about the challenges of isolation, and things learned so far. I like my own company, and regularly have to spend time by myself to regenerate. Isolation has not really been a hardship in that way, although I still enjoy talking to other people.
One of the things I’ve had to rediscover is my “base” – where I get my strength from. For me, that’s God. Spending time, learning more. Whether the night is darker than normal, or there’s rainbows and unicorns galore, I still have to rely on that basic core, to avoid meltdown when it’s hard.
I don’t know when things are going to be “normal”, or even if that will happen. I just know that I have to stick close to the One who keeps me in all weather – even if it’s blowing a gale and everything’s toppling!
During my reading this morning I came across this –

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
    and never fails to bear fruit.”
– Jeremiah 17:7-8

Find your base.
Get planted.
Flourish!