Keeping Christ Center...

Kim gave me a Christmas Cactus with vibrant pink flowers last year. I love the brilliance of the blooms and the fact that these plants are so easy to care for! I water it sparingly, as succulents prefer, and that’s about it. But December saw the cactus, like it’s owner, swamped. I was displaying it on the back porch and it rained. The soil is saturated and it is drooping from too much, too much, too much water. I was so disappointed that I would miss the simple beauty of the Christmas Cactus’ blooms!

At the beginning of this week, I felt like my cactus! I was droopy from much too much ____ (fill in the blank: travelling, cooking, parties, errands, projects). I had drenched my schedule and lost the simplicity of the season. Then I read in Brenda’s blog, “Take time to quiet your soul and savor the Savior. A few precious words from our Lord will minister to the deepest needs of your soul and you will fill strengthened, refreshed and ready to encounter whatever He has waiting for you.”

It was Christmas Eve! But it was not, and is not, too late to focus on Christ’s birth!! So that morning I sat on the back porch with the children, reading Mary’s First Christmas and sharing some delish pine bark. When we finished, Andrew was covered in chocolate and wouldn’t let Ben hose him off. When I got up and went over to clean Andrew up, I saw that my Christmas Cactus is COVERED in buds!! Isn’t this just like our God?!?

It was not by my careful cultivation. Nor will I (or the children) see the goodness of our Savior through my careful instruction. Our God cares enough for me to cause a flooded, droopy plant to bloom!! And His miracles stretch far beyond plants… He is causing my overwhelmed, self-sufficient soul to see His goodness. It wasn’t too late. He mercifully lead me to keep Him first this Christmas.