We are only as strong as where we are planted (1 Cor 3:6-11).
The other day, I drove into my driveway. I knew it was Spring because I have the most beautiful, fragrant Lilac Trees aligned on the left side of the driveway. As you enter the backyard, there are two more Lilac Trees in the back. The fragrance draws you in as if you are walking a path of great peace and harmonious existence. My old English Tudor is 100 years old (-/+). It has so much character. I call this place home. This is where I have learned to go to take a deep breath, to rest, to cry, to share, to entertain, to love and to be courageous and generous. This is where every plant I have in the backyard has a story. My Peony bushes keep getting larger and larger, my hydrangea bush grew from a 2lb container to a tree that is about 20 feet tall, my hummingbird bush continues to get more branches and, yes, my black eyed Susan’s keep seeding and popping up everywhere in the yard. I have struggled with Tulips at my house. The squires eat the bulbs before they take root. But this year, I think I was successful. I now have beautiful tulips growing in the front and back of the house.
I believe this house has been one of the sources of my strength for this season. This is where God has planted me for the past 20 something years. The house that God has blessed, graced and has allowed to become a place of healing and refuge for me, my family and many others who have come and sat in front of the fireplace with me and have shared tears with me. This house speaks to me when I walk in. Even the days when things have been chaotic, the house still beckons to me with a spirit of peace and love. As if it was intentionally built for me and the ones I love and those who love me. This 100-year-old house is strong, warm and inviting. The Spirit of the Lord draws me in to peace, joy and love. This is the place I call Home Sweet Home.
