Oh, the lessons of a little plant late for tea...

Outside our bedroom door,
In a little spot that looks out the french doors,
On a little mosaic table from long years ago,
Sits a Bible on a stand and behind it...
A Christmas Cactus.

A few days ago, I saw what looked like buds on this forlorn plant.  Surely not.  It's MARCH.  Not the right time.  Silly, disorganized and disobedient plant!

But today, there is a full-blown, bright red bloom on this silly plant.  *sigh*  Even the plants can't stay in line here at Flannel Jammies Farm!

Then I realized: would I have even noticed this riotous bloom in the chaos that is Christmas around here?  I mean, we have church activities and group activities and vegan yumminess to prepare and trees to be decorated and gifts to be wrapped and 3 grown children (yes, my precious daughter-in-law counts as my child, too) and two juvenile delinquent dogs and... just like your house, right?  I would have scrambled past this plant in December with scissors and tape in one hand and a cookie sheet in the other on my way out the door with one mascara-ed eye to Christmas Eve service, and never given it a glance.

But God's timing is always perfect.  On this absolutely stunning day of sunshine after the longest, coldest, most despairing of winters, this little Christmas Cactus is celebrating with abandon!  It's the perfect time to bloom in welcome of the long-awaited Spring!

As with most of my life, it's not the time I would have chosen.  It's not the appropriate place on my scribbled calendar for this nonsense.  But it is the PERFECT time.  It's the bright spot of cheer I needed so!  It's reminding me of newness and color and joy!  It's reminding me, once again, that His timing is so much better than mine.  His ways are so much better than mine.  His thoughts are so much better than mine.  Oh, the lessons of a little plant late for tea...

Show me Your ways, O Lord;
Teach me Your paths,
Lead me in truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day.

Psalm 25:4-5