GARDENS AND CASTLES: YOUR REACTIONS ARE SHOWING PART II

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

YOUR REACTIONS ARE SHOWING PART II

For you daylily lovers, I wish to show you another of my "one year wonders" that grew up despite my inattention and the drastic invasive weeds that wanted to take over its life. This one gives such a peaceful presentation-so peaceful that I just stood there and stared at it when I first saw it.

I had been perusing the rows seeing the new "July Christmas Gifts" that had never been opened before. When I came across this one I was stunned. then I started to cry....my son who came over to see what was happening, said "Mom your'e crying, I've never seen you cry over a daylily before". The joyous tears came because of, not only the awesome beauty but the memory of "dragging" my body across the field, about to the farthest point, to breed two daylilies together because "Fertile Myrtle" just HAD to have "Subtle's" pollen on it. I could just 'see' that "Subtle" could put her lovely stamp on this less than lovely, but very fertile daylily. Well, once started, I had to continue the process and many many trips later, "Fertile Myrtle" was done for the year and I had run out of "Subtle's" pollen. (The names are in quotes because they are still seedlings and not registered).
(editor's note..."Subtle" has just been registered and Introduced as SEEDS OF HOPE.)

Well, my son certainly saw all my reactions that day and I sure don't need to apologize for it either-not that he expected me to! So here is a pic of the now named "Subtle Faith". Name acquired because I had enough "faith" to keep on keeping on, traipsing across the field, even on the hottest of days, over and over to "gamble for my "hoped-for" results.

Here is one of the results, see if you can see why it was worth it and brought to me tears of joy. My reactions were CERTAINLY SHOWING!

and one more view

and for the curious here's

"Fertile Myrtle" (a FESTIVE ART progeny) "Subtle Faith's pod parent...

and here is SEEDS OF HOPE("Subtle-PALACE GARDEN BEAUTYx UKN),
"Subtle Faith's pollen parent...

What I wish to talk about today is about reactions that we can't, or don't control. It seems that whenever our

peace gets robbed

by circumstances,

by mere interruptions,

by mild calamities,

or by giant calamities,

our reactions come to the FOREFRONT

for EVERYONE TO SEE.

If we know ahead of time what to expect, we can always plan our actions.

We can plan to "look good"

or to "not stir up trouble"

or even to "mind our manners"

if we are trying to impress someone, or at least make an impact of some sort.

IN OTHER WORDS "to be our best"

BUT it is when the UNEXPECTED COMES

that the

REVELATION
of who we

REALLY ARE
shows
.

It may even surprise ourselves to realize that we can be

that BASE

that HARSH

that NEGATIVE.

that ORNERY

that SELFISH

or even

that PROUD.!

It is when we get into circumstances beyond our control that we show our true nature.

To quote Matthew 12:34 "out of the heart the mouth speaks" (Amplified)

the heart speaks of all the
DISAPPOINTMENTS,

FEARS,

ANGERS,

and the

UNFAIRNESS'S OF LIFE,

all the

STRESSES

and

STRUGGLES

that want to TRAP us into believing lies.

LIES DIRECT FROM THE PIT OF HELL

LIES OF

UNWORTHINESS

INADEQUACIES

and

HOPELESSNESS.

LIES tell us " You shouldn't have to take that"

" God doesn't love me",

" if He loved me He wouldn't ask this of me".

LIES even tell us "it will never get better, it's hopeless, just drop out".

LIES
DON'T TELL US:

that

ENDURANCE PRODUCES

CHARACTER and INTEGRITY,

and that

CHARACTER PRODUCES

HOPE,

the HOPE OF ETERNAL SALVATION

Romans 5: 3+

LIES
DON'T TELL US

that

HOPE

NEVER DISAPPOINTS

or

DELUDES

or

SHAMES US.

LIES

DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW

THAT GOD'S LOVE IS (ALWAYS) POURED OUT IN OUR WEAKNESSES

and that

HE IS THE ONE WHO GIVES US

the

STRENGTH TO ENDURE

STRENGTH TO SEE OUR WEAKNESSES

STRENGTH TO ADMIT OUR WEAKNESSES WHEN

THEY POUR OUT OF OUR HEARTS THROUGH OUR MOUTHS.
.

It's the STRENGTH to realize that life isn't always fair,

but that GOD IS

and that even though my peace is interrupted,

and even though I don't like what is happening

HE GIVES ME

STRENGTH TO BELIEVE

THAT

HE HAS NEVER LEFT ME OR FORSAKEN ME.

OH LORD, GIVE ME STRENGTH TO NEVER LEAVE YOU OR FORSAKE YOU WHEN

life isn't what I thought it should be...

Oh give me the STRENGTH

and DESIRE

to DWELL WITH YOU

and NOT dwell with my circumstances,

and then STRENGTH TO

STAND STILL and SEE

your work in my life and in the life of others.

LORD let my REACTIONS be

REACTIONS OF UNSELFISHNESS

REACTIONS OF PATIENCE

and MERCY

mixed with HOPE

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE

and

HOPE FOR THE DAY.

and

ENOUGH HOPE FOR

ALL THE "UNEXPECTEDS" AHEAD

and Lord, while I'm asking, as David said,

"May the words of my mouth and the meditations be acceptable to you"

Amen and Amen

Here are a few more of "Subtle Faith's" full sibs, each one with a peaceful presence.