Roots and Pansies

Since we've been staying home MUCH MORE since March, Mark and I have really enjoyed our courtyard. In the spring/early summer we planted pretty flowers in pots. I loved having the splash of color in the space. Several weeks ago we realized that we needed to dump the old flowers and plant pansies for the winter/spring season. Mark and I made a trip to Home Depot early one Saturday morning to beat the crowds and we brought home a flat and a half of pansies. I particularly love the ones that are yellow and look like they have their sweet faces turned to the sun but evidently everyone else in town was planting pansies so the selection was limited. We were able to get the big pansies - Mark searched until he found them. I love those big sweet faces!!

Jump back a few months -- for my birthday, we had ordered a new firepit from Absco but we still had our old firepit from Frontera and we didn't want to get rid of it. We decided to "repurpose" the old firepit and use it as a planter in addition to the pots. Mark filled the firepit with rich soil and it was ready to go. We wanted to reuse our pots so Mark started to pull the plants from the pots. Two of the three were totally rootbound. Even though they look rough in the pictures below, they were still viable plants. They had deep roots that were drawing nutrients from the soil.  The moment Mark slid one from the pot I knew I wanted to write about those roots (and the thoughts have been percolating for weeks now). I immediately thought of these two scriptures (taken out of context here):

Colossians 2:6-7 -- So then just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, ROOTED and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Mark 4:4-8 -- As the farmer was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no ROOT. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew, and produced a crop, some multiplying 30, some 60, some 100 times.

lots of roots

The pot below held a plant that was not thriving. Look at the difference in the roots.

We planted our pansies and the plants have been watered by the rain and the sun has been shining on them and we planted them in great soil. They are growing beautifully. During this pandemic, some days I have allowed my roots to go down deep and to breathe in the nutrients from my heavenly father. On those days, I am healthy and I turn my face to the son, much like the pansies I love. If I'm honest, I must admit that there have been many days since March where my roots were like the pot above. My roots were dried up and I felt shriveled inside. As a matter of fact, I went through one of the longest "dry valleys" earlier this year. It has been many years since I felt that way. I thank God that he kept tending to my soil and my roots. Even when I couldn't feel Him anywhere around me, He was there. 

Now I turn my face toward Him and thank him for good care. Maybe some of you have felt like I did earlier this year. How are you doing during this crazy 2020? How is your soul today? How are your roots? Are you able to turn your face toward the son?

be like the pansies - bask in his love

be like the pansies, turn your face to the son