May 17

I love lilacs.  In my childhood home, there were tons of lilac bushes.  When my mother sold the house, I removed a few small lilacs to plant in my yard.  I anticipated the fragrance of the blooms and the light purple and white clusters amid the green leaves.  After planting them in a sunny spot, I waited patiently a couple years for the plants to settle in and grow a bit.  Well, it has been several years.  The plants yield a handful of blooms, but nowhere near the abundance of the plants at my old home.  Apparently, these lilacs prefer their home environment and aren't able to bloom as well in this "foreign" soil.

We are much the same, aren't we?  We do best in the place to which God has called us.  If we try to force ourselves to be or do what others, or even we ourselves think is right, we don't thrive.  We may bloom, but not in the richness that could be.  We not even bloom.  We may have stunted growth, or simply struggle to survive.

Lord God, you are the perfect gardener.  You have created us and know the person you call us to be.  Grant us wisdom, strength, and courage to grow as you call us to grow.  Help us to lovingly put aside all other ideas of who we should be, so that we may bloom in the fragrant abundance of your grace.  Amen.