I Bought This House Plant

The Lord provided me with a two bedroom apartment that I am so pleased with. He has also given me provision to fix my home any sort of way I choose. I have also received many gifts from others that happen to fit in with my decor and color scheme. Truly, I have been and continually am blessed.

While out shopping for some decor about two years ago, I happened upon these house plants that were on sale. Not a lover of them because it was my job as a child to water all of my mother's plants and care for them. She had many. I decided to get a few because of what I learned about the benefits of having plants in your home. In talking to some of the seniors in my place of employment and residence, I learned of some of their tragedies and felt for one of the residents in particular. She would get a boost in receiving one of the two plants I bought. She was bewildered at first as to why I would give her anything, nevertheless she received it. Every few months, she would give me an update as to how the plant is doing. It was her's. I didn't anticipate whether she would take care of it or not. It was up to her. When she was about to move she was giving her possessions away and one of the things she decided to give back to me was this plant. It had been with her for over two years and it did grow some but not as nearly as she was describing to me. I thanked her for it and was bewildered as to why she gave it to me. Who gives a plant back? Yet, with God, it served a purpose.

When I got the plant back to my apartment I put it together with the plant I had bought with it. There was an extreme difference in the growth of both plants. Though it caught my attention, it wasn't nearly as strange as how the plant she gave to me would droop over sooner then the other plants I have. As soon as I watered it within 15 minutes it looked as healthy as the others. I usually water my plants once on Fridays, but with the one she gave me, I have to water it almost every other day. I found this intriguing and in my prayer time alone with the Lord, I would say, "I know there is a lesson and a message in here somewhere." You see, the resident I gave the plant to was a smoker. Though she wasn't supposed to smoke in her apartment, she did and the evidence was the moment anyone walks passed the threshold of the front room. She denied ever smoking, she was used to the stench of it. The walls were a pale yellow because of the tar and nicotine. The furniture was wreaking like an ash tray. She invited me in one time and it was difficult to breathe. I had to find an excuse to leave just for my own personal health.

Another resident, who is also a smoker, had moved into the building but when she needs a smoke, she goes outside. She is a cat lover. In her last place of residence she could smoke in the building. Her cat was used to the cigarette smoke. But here, she noticed her cat acting strangely. She told me she took her pet to the vet and found that her cat was gong through nicotine withdrawal. Consequently, her cat died about a year after.

Still, the lesson with the house plants came at me like a Mack truck. Its a double message with lingering tiny lessons to make you think about your own situation...well, at least, it did this for me.

1. Moving from a toxic environment may not be the only thing one needs to do to regain the blessing that once was.
2. A carnal mind is always learning. Receiving the Word like everyone else but the retention or digesting of it is like its almost wasted.
3.Once watered, looking at the outward appearance of the plants, they all look the same as if well cared for. Unless told otherwise, no one could tell that one has been poisoned. Would this not also be true in a family that seemingly had all they could ever need... but that one child for whatever reason decides to rebel. Doctors call it being a teenager and it is normal (Matthew 7:16-17 KJV).
4. It is necessary for parents to know who their children are around in the majority of the day and with whom is he/she influenced by (Matthew 12:33 KJV).
5. Whatever God plants and where ever He places, it is good no matter what (Matthew 15;13 KJV).

I knew what I needed to do for the plant to be healthy looking as well as through and through. I had to take the plant from the soil it was in. Throw away that soil and wash off the roots. I then soak the plant in plain water for a little while. It is also necessary for the pot to be throughly washed in soapy water and dried before replanting it in clean, fertilized, moist soil. Even the process to get the plant clean and thriving again is a lesson. If we only knew what the Lord had to do to get us from the mess we were in. Still, another reason to give thanks and praise for His goodness and mercy. I thank You, Father. I am so very grateful.