Blooming Where You're Planted

We have all heard the phrase, Bloom Where You're Planted. From what I have researched, this statement has been around a long time but it is still something to make you stop and think. After reading a hateful rant about hating a place where a family lived, I began thinking about the whole idea of blooming where you're planted. This person continued on with a list of reasons why they did not like the area. Sadly, this person is a professing Christian. Someone who is a pastor's wife, living a life as an example. Someone I would not want to be like. We all could sit down with pen and paper and list reasons why we do not like this or that, but why would we? What good would it do? As parents, how can we teach our children to bloom where they are planted if we are fighting the blooming process ourselves; we can't.

No matter who we are, God is in control of our lives. He is the one who places us wherever we may be. A lot of times, we want to take control over our lives and make quick decisions concerning where we work, where we live, etc. And you know what? A good chunk of the time those decisions bring us tears of sadness and not tears of joy. To  truly bloom where we are planted, I believe you have to be thankful.  Not only for what you call your home, but for the daily circumstances that are going on around you.  I could grumble about driving 225 miles to the closest mall and Sam's club. I could grumble about driving 70 miles to the nearest decent grocery store,  Walmart and fast food restaurants. I could grumble about there not being any of what I would call good local churches in our town.  I could grumble about having to go on the other side of the county to get good water to drink and cook with. I could grumble about not having any other home educators in our area who will get together. But what good would it do? God placed our family here, for a reason. Grumbling will get us nowhere except for a state of being miserable. Sadly, those close to you will not want to be around you and then there will be people like me who do all they can to avoid you like the plague. If you've been reading my blog for very long then you know our story and how we were placed in the southeastern corner of Montana. After years of praying to be brought back to this state with a job, God did just that. He answered our prayer. We did not ask him for a mall, a grocery store and I never thought to pray for good water. I know the Lord placed us where we are; I am happy with that. I am happy knowing we are in the middle of God's will for our lives; even if we are in the middle of nowhere.

BLOOMING WHERE I AM PLANTED

I cannot fully bloom if I am complaining about this, that or another. I cannot help my husband and son bloom if they hear my complaints or see the affects of my complaining. I would hate to know my selfishness ruined an opportunity for my husband to succeed in his job or in giving the plan of salvation to a co-worker or a neighbor.

I can't help but remember a chorus we used to sing when I was younger.

I shall not be, I shall not be moved;I shall not be, 

I shall not be moved;

Just like a tree that's planted by the waters,

Lord, I shall not be moved.

Psalm 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

I want to be a fragrant flower, not a prickly cactus blooming where God has placed me.