A New Thing Springs Forth

" Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth..."  

Isaiah 43:19

A road trip to Kentucky to see my grandparents last October blessed me with more than a time of memories of time spent together. I received beautiful potted Geranium. I know, the picture isn't one of that sort of plant...keep reading. 

My grandmother had received this potted plant on Mother's Day in honor of being the oldest mother in her church. And so, she had made two separate plants out of that plant; and decided to bless me with one of them...complete with it's hanging basket.

It made the road trip back to Georgia just perfectly in the back seat...completely safe in the seat belt. Yes, within me was this intense determination to keep this plant alive and well in honor of my Mamaw. (Did I mention that I'm a VERY sentimental person?!)

Only...as the winter season approached, my efforts failed and I lost it. I was discouraged. The desire to make this gift thrive, it had been there all along, but the cold, wintry season had won the battle.

This spring, I sowed several Cayenne pepper plants in the same container using the same potting soil. As the pepper seedlings began to peek from beneath the dark soil, I began to get excited. (I always do, something about GROWING something from a dying seed. I love it!) Anyhow, the pepper plants grew and when they were a little under a foot tall, I noticed a new plant growing in the pot too.  Hmmm...

A wispy, fern-life tendril was breaking forth into life and started climbing up the hanging basket wiring. After a couple days, it dawned on me...this was a plant from my Mamaw's. (Hello, sentimental gal - bring on the tears.) God had blessed me with a plant of my grandmother's after all. They grow all over her back porch in the summer producing beautiful vines with tiny, red flowers. (If you can tell me the name of it, I'd appreciate if you'd leave it for me in a comment below.)

I made the decision and carefully transplanted the peppers, which I had decided to grow, into other pots and left the little vine to flourish. I suppose God decided He wanted to surprise me with something else better than peppers. He even decided to let them show up in the same hanging basket container.

Then it hit me...an "aha" moment:

Sometimes God doesn't let things work out exactly how you and I want them to...no matter how sentimental we might be or with what determination we have mustered up. No, sometimes He has a better plan. Sometimes He allows things to die. Sometimes He allows plans to fail no matter how hard we work to bring them to pass. Yes, sometimes He desires to do a NEW THING and somehow it's always for our good and for His glory. His ways are not our ways.

Every single time. What great HOPE we have in Him.

So, as I watch this beautiful, new bundle of life weave itself along the lattice of my back porch, I am reminded that God will make things beautiful according to HIS PLAN and timing...not mine. And...I'm learning to be OK with that one day at a time. Sure helps to have a reminder though. Thanks Mamaw! Thanks God!! Simple things~

** Prayer request: My grandparents are both up in years now, my Papaw has dementia and my Mamaw is tired. Please keep them in your prayers during this difficult part of their journey. Mr. & Mrs. McCloud. Thanks.