kalanchoe blossfeldiana

the name of this species is a bit of a mouthful, isn't it? but it's actually a lovely little plant. it's a succulent, related to the cactus family. it comes in different colors.
i went to "the flower cart" and saw deep red and bright pink varieties. but the one i chose has petals that blush almost - white in the center and a delicate pink at the edges.

i bought this on a day when i felt i needed to be proactive against frustration. i've been up and down emotionally lately...i thought, how about a good-looking companion to sit on my desk and cheer me up? unfortunately my boyfriend is too far away...


i like how it's both sturdy and pretty. it survives the indoors well - far away from it's natural element of loving sunshine. since i am away from mine right now too, i think we make good friends.

perspective

"How was your day?"

The question seemed to come out of nowhere. I looked over at Norma, blinked at her, and turned back to her computer screen. Blinked again.

I had come to her house after work. We had to finalize the website content for Zimbabwe. But first we were selecting some pictures to include with an article that was going to be written about Reaching Hearts for Kids.

I arrived at her house around 6:30. Norma is Palestianian, raised in Jordan. Ingrained in her being is traditional middle eastern hospitality - she must offer me something to eat while I am in her home. (Currently her office is a tiny room in her apartment. We look forward to having a real office one day.) As I walked in her office she handed me a plate of sliced melons and some cake, and immediately began discussing what we had to get done. We both tend to be "let's get down to business" type of people. Though we have a high regard for each other, we don't always show it.

Anyway so we were working on the pictures. I'd already eaten most of the melon, while trying to resize some of the pictures so they'd be easier to email. When she asked how my day was, I was working on the picture entitled "Boy Crying Over Empty Bowl". She had received it a few months ago from a worker in Kenya, and thought it would be good to include in the article. I guess at that point she realized we'd skipped some pleasantries when I came in, and asked me how my day was.

Honestly, at that point, I had no clue. I looked at her, and back at the computer, and I couldn't even remember how my day was. What happened today? I didn't remember. Later on I remembered how depressed I'd been lately, how I'd been having trouble sleeping - which led to a lot of aches and grogginess during the day. I still would continue with all that, for the next few days. But you know, compared to the Boy with the Empty Bowl, my day was just fine. Compared to the little girls of Zimbabwe...my day was spectacular.

Persian wisdom

The past week was rather hard, but when Saturday came, the sky was clear and the sun was bright. I woke early, I prepared my lesson, I spoke to my love for a few minutes. I wore a flowing white skirt traced with beautiful embroidery. I felt the peace and the joy of the day of rest.

A friend of mine, Abraham, related this to me, in his mild Iranian accent: "When the wind blows the branches of the tree, it is then that its roots grow deep." He waved his hands to depict the wind blowing through the tree and smiled, as he always does, with kindness and mirth. A long time back he had told me his own story, of how he had accepted a new faith and was ostracized from his family for it. Long before I was born, he said with a twinkle in his eye. He went to Lebanon for a time and finally came here, where he met his wife of almost forty years. They just recently came back from a trip to Alaska.

We have the privelege to pray any where and at any time. To savor our relationship with God in a beautiful building, a simple house, or ensconced within the beauty of nature. But one of the joys of fellowship is to learn and be inspired by others who have traveled much longer journeys of faith than you have.

Well, I don't know if my weakness has made me stronger or not. But it's made more aware of my own habits, of keeping track of the things within my mind. Of exhaling. And of the need to listen to good advice.