Ahhhhhh..... spring!

So today is "officially" spring...(at least I hope I am right and don't look like an idiot)

So many things pop into mind when I think of spring.

Baby chicks (which if our rooster, Strep, keeps up with his territorial attacks.....there will be no fertilization of our eggs going down this spring.....anyone up for a fresh rooster dinner?)

and flowers starting to pop up.....

For some reason, this story popped into my mind yesterday and I wanted to share it. It is just showing how God can speak to us in sometimes the most simple events, if we are constantly looking and waiting for Him. ;)

So let me set the scenario here....

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Clematis plant/flower.....I see them grace people's arbors or climb up and color the sides of their homes.....they are just gorgeous! My mother-in-law has the entryway to her home looking like a paradise with lavender blossoms surrounding her front porch. It's breath-taking (if you are into appreciating a great green thumb, that is)

I always have said that when I own my own home, I am definitely having this beautiful plant grace my home....something about having flowers and plants greet you when you visit someone's home makes me smile.

Anyway.....the first spring that we lived in our home, I dove into creating my garden. And one of the first plants I bought was, yes....the Clematis.

Well to make a long story short (and to keep you from falling asleep).....let's just say I did not have any luck with it. It looked decent for about a month, and then it wilted and eventually died. It never even got to having a bud........well I think I saw one bud, but it never got bigger than a sunflower seed. Then it shriveled up like a raisin and fell off. *sigh*

Frustrated, I picked my mother in law's brain and she just kept telling me that they require the perfect balance of sunlight, soil acidity and also they need their roots protected. So I tried different locations, different soils.....planting it near others to protect it's delicate roots then alone so it wouldn't be crowded. I planted one in shade and on in full sun....I tried every possible combination.......NOTHING. Not even one bloom!

I am going to guess that I have attempted/bought/planted at least fifteen or twenty in the past 10 years. And these plants are not cheap either btw.....like $15-20 a pop!

So yeah.....I just have no luck with them....they never took/rooted properly and I would lose them (can you see a little hidden message in here?)

I finally just accepted that I could not have one here.....it is OK, as I have tons of beautiful flowers in my garden. So one day last summer......N comes home from next door and brings me this GORGEOUS Clematis flower.....and I asked her where she got it, cringing thinking she plucked it off of my neighbors garden. She has been known to do this......one time, she came home with a nice bouquet of tulips.....bulbs and all. Needless to say, cranky Mrs. Credit next door was even crankier to us that entire spring and summer.

So I thanked N, gave her a huge hug and then nervously asked her where she got the beautiful flower .....she told me that she got it off the path. We have a little path (about 50-60 feet) between my other "friendlier) neighbors house that we use to go back and forth.

I asked her to show me where on the path and sure enough, a few feet in......there was a perfect Clematis plant growing amongst the poison ivy, brush and picky bushes. It had a new huge bud too, getting ready to open. Not sure if Clematis grows near you......but check this out!

Isn't it gorgeous??

We made a little trellis out of bamboo to support it's climbing vines. The other bud opened and stayed in full bloom for almost one month. I smiled every morning when I looked out my bathroom window and had a perfect clear view of it. I am hoping that it will come back again this spring/summer....but even if it doesn't......God spoke to me that day through this one flower.

He reminded me that He knows what it is my heart. He knows what I yearn for.......and no matter how much I labor and try to do things on my own....it is unfruitful. I just need to turn it over to Him and let Him take over, completely.

So yes.....I finally had/have my Clematis.....it just didn't grow where/when I thought it should.

I think we all have something that could be turned over to Him. Maybe it's control over your finances or job......control over an issue with your spouse or children.....or maybe something as simple as where and when you want your flower to bloom. ;) Feel free to share what might be relieving to finally let go and let God.

Trust me....He can do it so much better.

Happy Friday~

*~Michelle~*

p.s. I will be posting soon about a Blog Party I am participating in with a giveaway of my own and also the chance to win other great prizes donated by tons of fellow bloggers. More to come!