For years I have hoped to grow astilbe in our flower beds. TaDa! We now have astilbe!
At first glance, these pink fluffy flowers on tall stems don’t look like much. And that’s true. This is their first year. And the first year is always the hardest for plants which are just getting established. Plants … no matter what plant they are … don’t look like much in their first year.
It takes time. It takes time for their roots to get established.
By the second year this pink astilbe will be looking a lot healthier and fuller. Greenery will fill in all around the base, and the bloom spires will multiply to become a gorgeous mass of color.
It just takes time.
Perhaps you feel like this pink astilbe. Perhaps you have recently been “uprooted” and “transplanted.” And perhaps you feel like your “roots” haven’t quite gotten established yet. Hubby and I have moved multiple times. And this is exactly how we have felt the first year after each of our moves. It takes time. It takes time to get “roots” established in a new place.
Give yourself grace. Give yourself time.
A major move is really hard. And the first year of a move to a new location is always just like the first year of a plant. It just takes time. But it will get better.
An additional blessing of these pretty pink blooms, on really tall stems, is if you look closely at the photo, you will notice a white spider hiding down amongst the pink fluff. What is so amazing is that this white spider has pinkish-purple markings which perfectly match its camouflage in this particular flower! I have never seen a white spider with pinkish-purple markings before! Amazing! (and I don’t even like spiders)
Thank you God for fluffy pink astilbe! And thank you God for the amazing camouflage You have given each creature You have made … even little white spiders with pinkish-purple markings!
Since we’re talking about bloom blessings on really tall stems … I just can’t leave out the lavender!
Sometimes we might be tempted to compare ourselves to others. For example, this lavender plant might look over at the lilies in the background and feel like its own blooms aren’t good enough because its blooms don’t reach as high into the air as the lily’s blooms do.
But God made the lavender to be lavender … and as such, God made the lavender blooms to reach high into the air in a completely different way than the lilies.
The same thing is true in your life. God made you to be you! And as such, God made you to be able to do things as only you can do them!
Don’t compare yourself to others.
The lavender wouldn’t be very pretty if it was trying to grow flower stems as tall as the lilies.
The lavender is special because it is exactly what God has made it to be. And so also, you are special because you are exactly what God made you to be!
Thank you God for beautiful bloom blessings … on really tall stems!
Thank you for making each of us to be exactly the way You have made us to be!
