New Growth



Happy Sunday! I hope your weekend has been a restful one. What a week. Honestly, this was a draining week to be a human. And especially a human that works in the news business. A lot happened between the blasts at the Boston Marathon Monday morning.... and the capture of the second suspect Friday night.

 

We also can't forget the fertilizer plant explosion in Texas... and severe storms Wednesday night that caused damage all across northeastern Oklahoma.

 

Whew! I promise this isn't a bad news post. But I feel like I can't not mention those things. I'm struggling with a cold this weekend- surely the result of long hours at work this week.

 

But in the midst of it all- it reminds us to appreciate and love one another, love the lives we're living. Give thanks.

 

For me, nature is a way of connecting with God. It's so weird to write that sentence- because I always think of myself as a non-outdoors girl. But, I don't think that's true. I love running and biking outdoors. I love sitting outside, soaking in my surroundings. And, I may just have more of a green thumb than I thought.

 

 

A few weekends ago, my beautiful weeping willow in the back yard had to come down. It started falling last fall- and my dad and I built a stand to prop it up. But strong winds knocked it off the stand, and it started falling. Into... power lines.

 

So, the handy crew at PSO (electric company) came to take care of business.

 

And reduced my beautiful willow... to this. Very sad day. I cried. 

 

But, as with everything in life, you just go on. Replant, rebuild. I made my first "by myself" trip to the nursery this weekend to select some flowers for the yard. New growth: step one. (Any guesses what my favorite color is?)

 

I got to work first on the small planters in the back yard. Cleaning out years of old soil, leaf pile-up, cigarette butts (gross) and even a spare key. Replenishing the planters with new soil. Packing tiny buds of orange, yellow into the new soil. So very gratifying.

 

Just step one! Next up: front yard, new tree, salsa garden.

 

God gives us a lot of beautiful things in life- especially in the wake of tragedy. Opportunities to start over, rebuild, plant new seeds, experience new growth.

 

How can we not embrace and love the outdoors for that reason alone?