“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV)
I grew up in the midwest where the changing seasons corresponded to the contrasting patterns of our lifestyle. The freezing winter months brought family and friends inside to get cozy around a blazing fire or share a meal on a cold and snowy night. When the warmer temperatures of spring hit the air, people drifted outside to trim and mulch and bring new life to barren garden beds. Friendly conversation among neighbors was as common place as the spring rains were to the month of April.
Although the California climate is without seasonal extremes, each spring I still search my yard taking inventory of bare areas that could use a splash of color.
This year my eyes hit the jackpot when I spotted our abandoned fountain in the hydrangea bed.
Nearly a decade ago during our move from Ohio, the fountain found it’s new home outside the dining room window with the intent of providing a soft, trickling sound of water while we dined. Great planning, how romantic; unfortunately, each time the water would flow – a circuit would blow! A functioning fountain didn’t rank high on our ‘things to do to get settled’ list, so it quickly moved down the ranks to eventual obscurity. After all, from mid-spring through early autumn the blooming hydrangea nearly hid the fountain from view.
With renewed vigor I set out with a plan to transform my neglected water fountain into a succulent garden feature. I looked online for design tips and found stunning displays of birdbaths and tiered fountains with varieties of echeveria and sedum cascading down like water. When I was finished succulents never looked so good! It’s funny; I never paid much attention to the hydrangea flower bed, but now I can’t walk past without admiring my new view.
Gardening is a rewarding past-time. I often clear my mind and lose track of time while digging my fingers into soft soil, nurturing and nourishing delicate buds, watering and watching plants blossom with natural beauty. The world is filled with the heavenliness of God’s creation!
“The happiest man is he who learns from nature the lesson of worship.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
Take an inventory of your outdoor space. Where can you bring God’s blessing of nature into your life?
