A Flower Waiting To Bloom

by SistasInArms on Friday, August 19, 2011 at 4:03pm

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name &
Care to know my hurt

There's a beautiful flower in the garden of my family that's desperately trying not to fade, desperately wanting to bloom in all her beauty. Her delicate petals have closed in tightly around her, shutting out light and warmth, enveloping her in a shadow. She cannot see the sunshine, but instead is lost within the storm that rages around her, holding her hostage. The potential of this precious and special flower, planted lovingly and purposefully in the garden of our family is to blossom and grow into the unique species, that is only her. Fashioned and known before time, a one of a kind, an essential part of the garden, an eagerly anticipated bloom, without which our landscape is incomplete.
 Our delicate bud is wilting, though we water and nourish her, she is not flourishing. We wait......and lovingly tend to our flower, encouraging her petals to gently loosen and allow a ray of sonshine to touch upon her heart. We patiently wait............wait for her to slowly unfold, to begin to soak in the life giving warmth, allowing the light to penetrate the darkness that surrounds her. We wait........wait for her to see that spring is just around the corner, a new season brimming with new birth and possibility.
 There's a beautiful flower bud in the garden of my family..........and my heart is longing to see her bloom

TIME OUT, TIME AWAY, TIME WELL SPENT.

by SistasInArms on Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 7:03pm

I've just arrived home from a few days away in Melbourne to recharge, relax and spend some well earned one on one time with my hubby. We stayed in a beautiful hotel, a real treat, I felt extremely spoiled and pampered. We did the touristy things, caught the tram, went shopping, took in an exhibition, drank coffee, relaxed in the local pubs, walked miles, played photographer, you get the gist and for all intent and purpose we could well have been in a different country. That's how it felt, being so far removed from our daily pressures and commitments, it was as if they no longer existed, just for a short while. Plugging into the TIME OUT, TIME AWAY socket came at just the right moment, charge was dangerously low, red light flashing on both of our indicators.
 The fresh air of new surroundings, no time constraints, no demands or expectations was invigorating, positive energy flowed freely. We walked with a spring in our step and renewed anticipation flooded our senses. We talked, we laughed, we reconnected on a level devoid of stress, abundant instead with undivided attention to one another. A rekindling of romance, so often buried beneath commitments of life, parenting and providing, still there smouldering away, awaiting a spark.
 Fully charged we returned home, to all that we left, no miraculous change in circumstance, no sudden shift in the load, just one small difference, green lights flashing instead of red.
 It's easy to say, now is not the right time, too much happening, finances don't allow, what about the kids, well what about all this stuff? Before we realise it, they'll be off doing there own thing, there will always be commitments, but will we always have each other, who knows what the future holds, missed opportunities are exactly that..missed. To be a successful partnership, time needs to be invested, I, his priority, he, my priority. The TIME OUT, TIME AWAY socket can be whatever works at the time, simple or extravagant it really doesn't matter, but it's not an option. Recharging is a necessary, indespensible part of marriage. I don't want to operate on low charge, that's not a fulfilling way to live or love and it's not how God intended marriage to be.
 So, for me, my TIME OUT, TIME AWAY was definitely TIME WELL SPENT.
 Is your warning light flashing, are you over due for a romance recharge ? Don't put it off any longer, find time to get back into the green zone.
Lxx