This mimosa tree growing among stately old live oaks made me smile.
On a recent trip to Hilton Head, my family was biking along, and this mimosa tree caught my eye. It was growing among magnificent old live oaks and a palmetto tree. (never was sure why they are palm trees in Florida, but palmettos in South Carolina). It was almost comical growing there. It reminded me of a Dr. Seuss book with its fluffy pink blooms in the middle of all of the greens and browns.
It reminded me of an illustration in a Dr. Seuss book.
I have always been in awe of God’s creativity and I try to embrace the fact that He loves variety too. We are all created differently, yet in His image. Try to explain that one to teenagers.
Human beings seem to be born with the innate desire to get approval from our peers. We want to fit in and be like everyone else. We also have the inborn desire to be the best at everything. We can make just about anything into a competition. With kids it’s often sports, but it’s also who has the highest grade or who can read the most books? Who took the best summer vacation? Who can draw the best picture?
It starts with children, but it’s most often fueled by adults who are no better than our kids when it comes to competing.
But here’s the thing, God created us all to be unique with unique personalities and talents to be used to serve Him. We were created to live right now, right where we are, not twenty years ago, or fifty years from now. Each one of us was planned well in advance, by a God who does not make mistakes.
And guess what else; He sometimes creates beauty simply for His enjoyment. I was taking a walk recently and a tiny purple flower was growing in a bunch of tall grass all by itself. It caught my eye. I wondered briefly what it was doing there and then I found myself saying a prayer of thanks to God for planting it.
God seems to enjoy placing the beautiful and unique in the most unexpected places. We see this all of the time in nature. We accept it. Why would we think that humanity would be any different? What if we learned to embrace what makes us different and ask God how to use it?
My daughter has a close-knit group of friends who I adore. I am thankful everyday that she has chosen her friends wisely up to this point. While these girls are alike in many ways, they are also different, and of course, that’s what they would change about themselves. At every opportunity, I try to point out to them as well as my own children, that their differences make them special and don’t we all want to be special?
I can never stress enough to the kids that cross my path or to parents, that each child is special to God. Whether an athlete or an artist, a straight A student or a C student, funny or serious, quirky or straight-laced; each child is made with a plan that only God knows, but it’s a good plan and it will lead to an abundant life. Our job as adults is to nurture those kids and encourage them at every turn to use their unique gifts.
Come to think of it, we should do the same with the adults in our lives as well as ourselves. So, if you are a mimosa growing among graceful Spanish moss dripping oak trees, stand up a little straighter and own it. We are all different. You just have the ability to show it on the outside and when you embrace it, I think you make God smile.
Don’t we all smile when someone compliments our work? What do you think? I’d love to hear from you.
Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂