Story of Ed

Tomorrow begins a new semester at school. Just nine days ago, we welcomed a new year. As I think about the potentiality of all of this newness (both academically and otherwise), I think it appropriate to share my observations of a plant that I purchased a while back that I affectionately call "Ed":

At the beginning of an endeavor, I bought a plant from Home Depot to brighten up my apartment in a similar way that a part of my life had recently been brightened up . Red Bromeliads are supposed to look like this:

I never owned a red bromeliad before. I didn't know how to care for it. In a show of poor judgment (based on my lack of a green thumb), I watered Ed and left Ed in my car with the windows cracked on an 80+ degree day for several hours while I ran errands. I thought Ed was going to be ok. HOWEVER, after I returned from my errands, what once drew me to Ed no longer existed. Ed got severely sunburned.

I hoped water would bring Ed back to ruddy life. BUT, Ed remained brown: 

I decided to prune Ed (thinking cutting off the dead parts would bring Ed back to life). Ed's green parts grew. But Ed's red parts never came back. Even after I cut the brown parts away, once green parts would develop a brown edge:

I was about to lose ALL hope with Ed. I was going to throw Ed away and start fresh with a new plant. BUT, one day I saw something that rekindled my optimism: A BABY ED WAS GROWING ON THE SIDE!!!

In the near future, I will replant Baby Ed in new soil (and perhaps a new pot). Mama Ed is NEVER going to be what it once was. BUT, Baby Ed, a NEW and slightly different form of a familiar thing, has been born (and if nurtured, I'm sure Baby Ed will prosper).

Regarding plant maintenance, and in fact all aspects of my life, there are new things being born from old things. I must apply lessons learned and not be afraid of the future I do not know. What is old and dead must be cut away. What is new and living must be properly nurtured. God's will be done in 2013 for Baby Ed and me.

This scripture comes to mind:
John 15 New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)The Vine and the Branches

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

 

Pasted from <http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%2015&version=NIV1984>