The trees of the Lord are well watered. Psalm 104:16a

I don’t have many houseplants. It seems that unless it thrives on its own, well, it won’t last long. So far the Christmas cactus has held on for a number of years, surprising me at the most random times with full bloom. This week, though, I’ve been caught off guard as my hearty little bamboo plant yellowed, withering in thirst. It was a sad reminder of difficult days we have known … and an image of a phrase in a song that recently caught my attention:

“Hope is like withered dreams being watered to life.”

I would guess that you have had some withered dreams like we have, when the yellowing and slow fading seem to define the days. Sometimes it just feels like we are dragging our feet through the muck and mire as the water supply for our souls is drying up.

The grief of withered dreams has come in waves over the years. It came in to steal my dreams of growing old with the man I married. For my daughters, the withering came when we looked down the road to father/daughter dances, Proms, Homecomings, performances, graduations, first dates, and weddings. At times the realization that another dream needed an adjusted perspective interrupted with pain and tears. The pristine became clouded, withering a part of our hearts.

Somehow, though scorched and withered, life remained. The tender gardener, the one who is Living Water, the one who knows and loves us, gently nurtured us. Day by day, drop by drop, he brought us back to life.

There were people who stayed with us through the tears. There were stand-in “dads” and adopted families, friends at concerts and celebrations, and financial gifts that filled the gaps. Prayers … oh, the many prayers on our behalf. Withered dreams were watered and life began to bloom again!

Like with the cactus, the blooms of our lives often snuck in and surprised us. The aches hurt less. The fears overcome. Challenges met. Milestones reached. Hope watered our withered dreams back to life.

Lord Jesus, Master Gardner.

Thank you for being living water for our souls.

You have nurtured our withered lives

And given us life.

You are our Hope.

February 28, 2016