November 16, 2019
My little Eva was stressed this morning about a looming Math test. She had lost her Math workbook and life seems rough.
I too remember stressing about a pending Algebra test and for a time, it loomed up in front of me and it was all I could see.
Later, I went outside and sat on the driveway and felt the warmth of earlier sunlight and looked up into the star filled sky and thought—pass or fail, in a month, a year, five years from now, I wouldn’t be thinking of whether or not I passed a High School Algebra test or not. I doubted a future employer would bring up that specific exam.
It was not a “make it or break it” life moment as I had worried it was.
This is our Clearance IKEA Corn Plant.
It was a “rescue plant” that I hauled home several years ago (2013?).
It has been quite resilient to little people digging in the sandy soil, over watering, under watering, cold inside air conditioning or sweltering heat.
About two weeks ago, after “life events” got too busy to worry about houseplant care,
Bruised, battered, ignored, the corn plant went on to grow and give beauty to its surroundings and clean the air.
Susannah saw Liam run into the plant and went to help and ended up knocking the plant over and the dark wet soil went all over the floor. After righting the plant and scooping up dirt, my husband helped her clean up the mess.
Several days later, there was a sweet smell that I attributed to some old flowers not yet disposed of. During dinner, my husband pointed out that the corn plant had small white balls growing out of the top of it?
Corn plants can take decades to flower and most varieties only bloom at night.
The fragrant scent is sweet similar to jasmine and honeysuckle.
Trials need not make us bitter.
They can encourage us to bloom, sharing our sweet fragrance and experience with others around us, who perhaps hadn’t noticed us before.
Ether 12:18-19
And neither at any time hath any wrought miracles until after their faith; wherefore they first believed in the Son of God.
And there were many whose faith was so exceedingly strong, even before Christ came, who could not be kept from within the veil, but truly saw with their eyes the things which they had beheld with an eye of faith, and they were glad.
Lately, life events seem too great to handle lately. We are living in “Emergency Mode now the new “Normal” Mode with pediatric brain biopsy, illness of one parent, care of another parent, illness of second parent, new chemo, reactions to new chemo, etc. surgeries of family members, etc.
We have never lived for so long with so little sleep for such an extended period of time.
Tonight I feel Heavenly Father has surrounded me with blessings, reassurances, kind neighbors, and friends.
Do I have the eyes to see the beauty in each day around me? The breathtaking sunset, the rock painted by a child to remind us of love, the smile of a beloved father, and the beauty of once dormant plant now flowering.
November 18, 2019
Another great day at Primary Children’s Hospital. Susie is less toxic on new Chemo.
Dr. Whipple always wins a smile. Saying Good-bye to Assistant Marcia. Beautiful sunsets and great audiobooks make long drives easier.
Blessings continue: Let’s Make Art artists send Susie encouraging words on gorgeous watercolor postcards from all around the U.S.
