Delayed Blooms

Along the lines of abiding and producing fruit, I was walking my dog and noticed that a dogwood tree in my yard had blooms on it.  You may say, "No big deal, that's what they do" but for those aware of my tree will already know where I am going with that.

You see, I live in Huntsville, AL which is in Madison county.  Several years ago during a road widening project, there was a beautiful OLD dogwood that was blocking progress for the project.  After lots of public opinion, the tree was carefully uprooted and moved to the botanical gardens.  A few years later, I purchased a baby from that tree.  At the same time, I purchased a Japanese Maple.

Years have gone by since then, and the dogwood has never bloomed.  Recently, my family went to the botanical gardens where we discovered the old tree had died, but there were babies of the tree circling where the tree used to be.  They were in bloom.  This restarted the ongoing conversation between me and my husband, Marc, regarding our poor little dogwood.  You see to date, that darn tree has NEVER bloomed.  We began to think that either it was a poser and not really a dogwood, a dud or needed something to help it bloom.

The funny thing about all this is Marc just said if the tree doesn't bloom, he was going to yank it up and get something else in its place.   Well as I said, today as I was out walking the dog, I looked up and saw this on that tree.

I cannot tell you the weird emotions that I began to experience.  I even had a few tears come to my eyes.  It was as if I could hear the Lord speaking to me through those blooms.

The lesson I took away from it was not to give up hoping.  Even when it looks like all the time, effort, tending, pruning has not produced anything; some things take more time to bloom than others.  If there is someone in your life that you have been pouring into, and you are wondering whether it is an investment or a waste of time, be encouraged by this late blooming dogwood.  Our investment into other's lives may not produce fruit in our timing.  Be patient and hopeful.  Never give up!  Maybe they are just late bloomers.

Another lesson to be learned regards authenticity.  We wondered if the tree was even a dogwood because there was no evidence other than the leaves and someone telling us it was a dogwood.  As is true with those who proclaim to be Christians yet we see no evidence or fruit.  Yes, the fruit is the proof or evidence of who we are.  Yet, instead of judging one another, let's pray for one another to bear much fruit.  We bear much fruit by abiding in Christ. (click on the link to see my blog on abiding)   Pray that we stay connected to the vine.  Be patient, maybe those blooms are coming!!!!