Tag: Growth

Posted on

A Prayer for Peace, Growth, and Recovery

I wanted to share a classic devotional from St. Francis of Assisi from my meditation book, A Daybook of Grace.

“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; To be understood as to understand; To be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we received. It is in pardoning that we are pardoned. It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.”

May we all aspire to become willing vessels of peace, love and mercy this day.  Amen.

Posted on

Bonsai

I just received for mother’s day, a beautiful Bougainvillea Bonsai.  It is quite stunning.  Along with the plant, there were instructions on how to properly caring for it.  It needs lots of direct sunlight, and the soil must remain moist, and not dried out.  If these instructions are not followed, then the flowers and leaves will fall. However, with pruning, and a little TLC, new sprouts will grow in 1-2 weeks.   The bonsai is a carefully crafted plant in the hands of a master gardener.  Wires are wrapped around it, strengthening, twisting, shaping the plant into a thing of beauty given years of satisfaction and enjoyment.  Proper amount of sunlight and soil maintenance are needed for the plant to flourish.

Image
Photo: Denise L. White

As children of the most high God, we need lots and lots of direct “SONLIGHT”, so we can become vessels of beauty and glory.  We need His master’s hands of mercy, grace, love, and justice to shape and mold us. But if we don’t get the right amounts of SONLIGHT through the word, if we fail to keep our soil properly cared for, then the world will remove our petals.   But just like the bougainvillea bonsai after pruning by our Lord and Savior we will sprout new growth, and show the marvelous handiwork of  God.