Where do you belong?

My husband wanted a special tree in our yard. To be specific, a Horstmann’s Sillberlocke. He’s a gifted gardener who makes our backyard a Summer haven. Over the years, he’s balanced the colors and textures of multiple flower beds and created a soothing water feature with koi. We worked together on our brick patio, where we sit and enjoy the sights, scents, and sounds. Tim thought our backyard needed this special tree. (For those of you who like the details of the specifics of the tree, you’ll need to Google its proper name. I know very little about plant and tree species and calling it a “tree,” much to my husband’s chagrin, is enough for me.) 

So, Tim invested in this tree. Yes, invested means he spent money on it. He transplants many of his plants, so our plant budget is small. In my opinion, it’s okay if he splurges on a plant every now and then. But Tim doesn’t like to spend unnecessary money, so he kept his eye on the trees and finally brought one home. He picked out the “perfect” place – which meant relocating a butterfly bush behind a bench since it wasn’t needed – planted the tree, and stood back to admire it.

Today, Tim took that same tree to the city dump. It’s dead. It’s been dead for a while, but I think Tim was hoping it would spring back to life. It was definitely dead. It was beautiful while it lived in our yard, but it wasn’t intended for our yard. We didn’t have the right growing season or soil for it.

Guess what replaced it? The butterfly bush! Even though it was shoved into an unseen corner, it had flourished. Right growing season. Right soil. (I think I prefer the butterfly bush anyway. After all, it flowers. Don’t tell Tim. He’s still upset about his tree.)

When have you tried to grow something where it doesn’t belong? If you’re like me, just about anything you plant doesn’t survive regardless of where you plant it, but think beyond plants…

When have you continued a relationship that’s unhealthy? Taken a job that drains you of your energy and talents? Committed to volunteer out of guilt instead of passion and service? Rationalized behavior or attitude you know isn’t appropriate?

We’re often planted in imperfect soil for a season, awaiting transplant. Isn’t that what life on earth is? It’s imperfect, and we make sacrifices. We deal with less than ideal situations at times…and yet we begin to feel at home where we’re only intended to temporarily live. Be careful of creating stubborn root systems in temporary soil.

Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times. Mark 4:8 (NCV)