Water Your Plants
A couple of the At Home plants: A ric rac/fishbone cactus, hoya, and a very happy prayer plant!
Office plants! Foreground - a in-need-of-a-climbing-post monstera, and a Money Tree on the right. Window Sill left to right - Blue Pothos, some fuzzy succulent thing that loves this office, and a dragon’s tail planted Kokedama style.
I have shared with you before that I am a (literal) tree hugger. The truth is, I am a lover of all green and growing things. If I were a bit shorter, you could consider me a hobbit! As it is, I maintain the title of “Plant Dad” as best as I can. Although I am far from a master gardener, I am proud to say I have some lovely, thriving plants both at home and in my office. One of the interesting things about moving, both home and office, is that plants learn new patterns, just like people do. This is especially true of my office plants.
In my previous office, they were crowded around a small, rectangular window which gave them just enough light to stay alive. They only needed watering every couple weeks because their soil would dry so slowly. Here, however, they sit in front of a much larger, north facing window that gets ample sunlight. That means they are growing much better, which is wonderful! However, it also means that they are drinking faster, which has been an adjustment for me. In fact, as I write this, I have glanced over my shoulder and noticed my blue pothos being particularly dramatic.
The problem is, watering these plants is kind of a hassle. I like to water them in the sink so that they can properly drip and not get water all over my office. So, I have to collect them all and carry them down the hallway to the kitchen, give them each the water they need, set up a spot for them to drip excess out, and then collect them and bring them back once they are done. All told, including waiting for the excess to drip, it probably takes an hour or so. Which feels like a long time, even though I know that it’s not particularly long in the grand scheme of things.
Don’t worry, this isn’t a blog post exclusively about watering plants. We’re going somewhere.
Our spiritual lives are not unlike plants. They require tending and attention to grow and thrive. With just a little light, our spirit can limp along and survive. However, if we allow ourselves to stand before the Light on a regular basis, we’ll see our spiritual lives grow immensely. That growth, however, requires tending. We need to keep watering, lest our souls get dry and we start to wilt. Watering our spiritual lives, like watering the plants in my office, requires us to stop, step out of our routine, and do something different. It can feel like a hassle in the moment, but that stepping away is what creates room for the deep roots we need to stay connected to God in the chaos and hard times of life. Jesus shows us this in the gospels, repeatedly stepping away before and after intense moments, finding space to be away from the chaos of his life, and connecting with God on the mountaintop.
This weekend, I am blessed to get to step away from preaching to connect with God on the mountaintop. I and my wife are attending The Wild Goose Festival, a theology festival in North Carolina. We’ll be camping for three nights, spending time listening to wonderful and talented theologians speak, and enjoying the fresh air and (slightly!) cooler weather. I look forward to returning next week and getting to share insights with you all. But, for now, I am simply looking forward to the time I’ll get to spend watering my spirit. Rev. Barbara Dunlap will step in to preach and preside at the Table this Sunday, and I know she will do a fantastic job leading our congregation. More than that, I know you will do a fantastic job greeting and welcoming her.
Now, I better go water my plants!
See you soon, friends!
Grace and Peace,
Rev. Tim
