Give Poinsettias a Chance

There are always plenty of leftover poinsettias at my church after Christmas. The unclaimed soon start to drop their leaves,  perhaps longing for a more suitable climate. They are destined for the trash if someone doesn’t take pity on them. Maybe some of the claimed ones end up in the trash, too, though I can hope for better.

When I see a living, potted plant in the trash, I feel sad. Does anyone else feel this way? It’s because of this sadness that  I no longer contribute to the annual poinsettia purchase. I used to buy one to be listed in the bulletin in honor or memory of a loved one, but have decided there are other ways to honor and remember.

I’ve taken a few leftover poinsettias to shut ins and try to take the worst plants home before they end up in the trash. Some are too far gone and end up as compost. But if they can make it through the winter as house plants, they thrive outside in warmer months.

The poinsettia above is one I rescued in the winter of 2017. It was not a happy camper in my little house which runneth over with spider plants, philodendron, peace lilies, and the seven foot tall avocado tree I drag inside every winter. So, in the spring, I decided to give this poinsettia a chance in the natural world. It took root and thrived in a semi-sheltered spot. In November, it started to turn red (without the prescribed 12 hours of darkness.) Now, I’ve got an old shower curtain draped around it. If it makes it through the winter, I will be pleasantly surprised since we have three inches of snow on the ground today and temps in the teens later this week- a rarity in these parts.  But hydrangeas and lilies die off and come back in the spring, and I had a poinsettia come back several years ago after a mild winter with no cover, so maybe….. Either way, it had a good spring, summer, and fall.

Below is a potted poinsettia, which loved being outside for most of the year. You can barely see the speck of red on a bottom leaf.

For more information about poinsettias, visit:

https://www.theflowerexpert.com/content/giftflowers/flowersandoccassions/poinsettias

Releasing Fear and Opening to Miracles

From Marianne Williamson:

Think of what you’d like to have happen in your life… then surrender to God every aspect of your personality that keeps it from happening. Infinite opportunity is built into the nature of the universe; it’s not lack of opportunity, but the way we chronically deflect these opportunities, that obstructs the otherwise constant flow of …miracles into our lives. We’ve all been wounded; the issue is whether we act from the wound. Ask God to take away all your personality characteristics that arose from the wound, and to replace them with the characteristics of your immortal Self…..

This quote by Marianne Williamson has been waiting among my drafts for a  long time. It drew my attention last night because Christmas is the traditional time for miracles. There was the virgin birth of the savior, the brilliant star seen by wise men and shepherds… Miracles.

Reading the quote again, it hit me that I’ve been acting, or rather thinking and imagining, from the wound, from my history of woundedness when things went wrong. It’s certainly not a conscious decision. It’s a habit that developed over many years, because I want to be prepared in case things go wrong again.

But I don’t have to prepare by rehearsing my responses to the catastrophes I imagine. How many times have we imagined a conversation and our responses only to find out the conversation didn’t go anything like we rehearsed?

I can prepare by being grounded in my Creator’s love and in my own healing.

What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us. And when we bring what is within us out into the world, miracles happen.

__Ralph Waldo Emerson

I always say that we need to give at least as much time to the good possibilities as the bad ones. But it’s easy to slip into the old anxiety, like someone’s going to steal my joy, but it’s me stealing my own joy. Sometimes it takes a conscious effort to pull myself out of the negativity that comes from fear, to focus on the miracles I want in my life. So here goes:

I see myself working through challenges with love and kindness. I will not let fear block the kindness. I will be kind to the fear and gentle to the old wounds.

I see my loved ones standing in light, facing life with courage and kindness. I envision them successful, aware that they have their own ideas about success and their own paths to walk.  I must release them to God’s love, as I focus on my own healing.

Some of my fear is for my country and this beautiful planet Earth. I envision us working though challenges and finding more peace, using Earth’s gifts with more care, wisdom and compassion, helping the planet heal. I continue to do my part in this healing process while taking care of myself.

I release my fear, and all the personality characteristics from my wounds to God and ask that they be replaced with characteristics of my immortal self, the self that knows for certain that everything works out for the best. I will trust the timing.

I think and act from a place of healing and love.

I am open to new miracles.

Special Delivery Back in Time

What if you could go back in time to give yourself a message?

If I told myself not to bother dating the first guy who asked me out after the divorce because God has a much better plan, would I listen? Probably not, because I wasn’t listening very well back then. S0 now, I have more compassion for people who find themselves in unhealthy relationships and more appreciation for healthy ones.

Maybe something simpler would get through to my past self. Sometimes I just want to hug that mixed up, co-dependent, grief-blind woman I was, and tell her:

It’s all going to work out!

I promise.

Love YOU!

There are a few songs I’d like send back in time to myself. Here’s one of them.

1237. Hope is some extraordinary spiritual grace that God gives us to control our fears, not to oust them. ~Vincent McNabb

What is Hope? a star that gleaming O’er the future’s troubled sky, Struggles, tremulously beaming, To reveal what there may lie. ~R.A.P., “Hope,” in 
Southern Literary Messe…

Source: 1237. Hope is some extraordinary spiritual grace that God gives us to control our fears, not to oust them. ~Vincent McNabb

One-Liner Wednesday: Less Nonsense, More Love

We are going to have some nonsense, and the fun, silly kind is great. But it is possible to reduce the not so fun nonsense, especially when it pops up in my brain. I just have to say, “Stop it!” And move on.

Loving Me, Too

I have less tolerance for manipulative games and layers of unnecessary paperwork, but I still like a little silly, fun nonsense. Loving myself more means saving my time and energy for things that make sense.

One-Liner Wednesday is hosted by Linda Hill. Here’s her post:

https://lindaghill.com/2016/08/17/one-liner-wednesday-forgetfulness/

The rules  for “One-Liner Wednesday” are:

1. Make it one sentence.

2. Try to make it either funny or inspirational.

3. Use our unique tag #1linerWeds.

4. Add our very cool badge to your post for extra exposure!

5. Have fun!

(Linda says she doesn’t always follow the rules. I like that! 🙂

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Today’s Quote

Thank you, Soul Gatherings!

Soul Gatherings

How wonderful it is that nobody
need wait a single moment
before starting
to improve the world.

~ Anne Frank ~
______________

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We Are More Alike Than Different

“The earth is what we all have in common.”   Wendell Berry

We all live on the same planet.

We all need the same mix of air.

Designed to eat from Earth’s garden

And drink from bodies of water

Abundant in all of our bodies,

We all floated in our mother’s wombs

We all cry the same salty tears.

We are more alike than different.

You would think

we could all get along

If not for ourselves, then

For the sake of all children

of the great Mother Earth.

And we can.

This is my offering for #PoetsForPeace which can be found here:

https://forgottenmeadows.wordpress.com/2016/07/16/calling-all-poetscreative-minds-to-a-grand-collaboration-poets-for-peace/

Today’s Quote

Embracing hope improves our health and makes the hope grow. It might even become something better than you could have imagined. Feed your hopes!

Soul Gatherings

It is good to embrace a hope.

~ Ovid ~
________

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FANNING THE FLAME 🔥

RIP = Recovery Is Possible. Eric has a powerful story.

FROM STRUGGLE TO STRENGTH

I remember when I was young and my enthusiasm and curiosity burned bright. I was a happy, healthy and eager to learn more about everything. I was a straight A student and very creative. But under the surface there was a scared, fragile, uncertain and insecure little boy.

After a while the flame didn’t burn as bright and the happiness and enthusiasm began to fade. Eventually the flame 🔥 that burned so bright died and the doubt and insecurities took hold. The scared little boy began to search for a place to belong. Searching 🔎 for meaning, purpose, belonging and love. Love from anyone who would offer it. The funny thing is, I never really knew what love was.

I’ve experienced the unconditional love that my parents and family gave but that never seemed to be enough. It wasn’t what I thought I was looking for. They tried to no…

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Haiku No. 130: Caught

Sitting in a stream
Of consciousness, I can yield.
The Universe smiles.

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