Redbuds: Challenge accepted

It was the Redbud trees that caught my attention and gave me food for thought as I drove home from Sarah's Sunday afternoon. If you are fortunate enough to be travelling down this way in the next few days you too will be able to witness their eye catching vibrancy in abundance. At one of the cut throughs I travelled they lined both sides of the rock cliffs, loudly calling attention to themselves. And it hit me. They were growing in a hard place. Literally. I was challenged by a few truths:

• being in a hard place does not limit the ability to do what you are created to do
• being in a hard place is not an excuse to not grow
• some of the most beautiful things I've experienced have been in the midst of hard places
• man moved the landscape around, but God planted those trees, right where He wanted them to be
• God does not make mistakes
• the choice of accepting His assignment and growing- or comparing/complaining/pouting and thereby being stunted, is mine to make

In other words: no one told the trees growing in the photo that they weren't in a "good" place-they simply are growing where they were placed. I can choose to follow their example. Redbuds: your challenge is accepted.

(When I moved to KY I was extremely confused as to why purple/pink blooming trees were called Redbuds. Until I saw them before they bloomed. The buds are red. The blossoms vary in intensity of color, but they are always beautiful and a sure sign Spring has arrived. I have one in my backyard I transplanted from a dear friend's farm as the base for my healing garden the year I miscarried our last baby.)