Bloom, Darn It! Bloom!

You've heard the old saying, "Bloom where you are planted". I think there is a lot of truth to this adage and sometimes I bloom and sometimes, not so much. Sometimes, I stomp my feet and refuse to take root and generally refuse to turn my face to the Son. But today I want to talk about times when we, or our children, simply can't bloom where we are planted. This has happened to everyone at one time or another. Someone from work, church, home, or community has asked you to do something that you just don't want to do. Maybe you are afraid you can't do the job, don't want to do the job, or simply are too overloaded to do the job. Any number of things can happen in this situation. God may clear the path and help you get the job done and in the end you come away feeling more blessed than ever. Maybe during the course of the task you find out you had strength or a desire to do something you didn't know you had. But sometimes you come away knowing you should have never agreed to do it in the first place. Sometimes we agree to do things that we know we shouldn't do and that God never meant for us to do because other people have a desire for something and want you to bloom at their say so. We need to learn to say "no" to some things and "yes" to the things God wants us to do. There is a whole other blog there.

But what happens when we ask our children to bloom where they are planted to fulfill a desire we have for them. Most likely it is a situation or event in which we know the child can bloom and we want the best for them. Sometimes however, I think it may be a desire for glory, or recognition, or just plain stubbornness on our part that causes us to ask a child to bloom. Perhaps you want your child to play a sport you were really good at as a child but the child would prefer to take up photography. Maybe you are pushing the "straight A" issue but the child is truly a "B" student. Maybe you think the child would just be great at this or that at church but the child wants the floor to open and swallow them whole every time they have to participate. Do we push them to bloom then? There are many occasions when I have to nudge (push) my children for their own good because I know their capabilities better than they do. Parents are awesome like that. But there are other times when I look at one of the kids and realize they would rather be anywhere else than in the planter I've placed them in, hoping to bloom so I will be happy. It then becomes time to relocate them to another planter. So how do we know? I've said this many times before (I know, I've beaten a dead horse) but we have to learn to listen to our children. God certainly has made them smart little creatures. If your child says they'd rather die than be in a school play, it may not be too much of an exaggeration. You may be killing their bloom. If the child is just not living up to potential, then yes, water them and take them outside daily. But listen to your child. Hear God's voice through them, "This spot is not where I wanted you to be planted. Let's try another!"

Bloom where you are planted. ~ Author Unknown