Here at the end of July, I thought it would be fun to share an update on how the plants from my Christmas Advent Seed Calendar are doing. Christmas in July!
(You can see part 1 here: Christmas in July! (part 1) – Daily Blessing – Lessons in the Dirt )
Kicking off part 2, we have a plant whose blooms I have been anxiously awaiting with great anticipation to see …
Poached egg plant!
What a unique name for a plant! I’ve never heard of Poached egg plant before. Does it make the vegetable eggplant??
No. According to Google, Poached egg plant is a groundcover plant, whose blooms look like a poached egg … hence the name.
Oh I’ve got to see this! That sounds really interesting!
Waiting for Poached egg plant to bloom has made me think often of the verse which I shared a couple of blog posts ago – about “waiting for the glory that is to be revealed.” (Romans 8:18) And how we hope for that which we do not yet see. (Romans 8:25 – referring to the future glory of heaven)
Finally … just this week Poached egg plant has started to bloom! I have been beyond excited! Check it out …
I’m amazed at just how perfect that yellow circle is. It looks like an artist had the whole flower laid out just like that and purposefully painted that yellow circle on. But no, each petal is individually separate. And each petal unfolded separately … yet the yellow circle matches up perfectly across all the petals. That’s amazing!
What a gift!
There are lots of blooms all opening up! The blooms are about the size of a coin – such as a nickel or a penny.
Thank you God for the gift of Poached egg plant! Thank you God for Christmas in July!
Thyme!
I just loved the way the early morning sunshine was highlighting the Thyme, Chamomile, and Cress. (all from my Christmas Advent Seed Calendar)
I shared in the previous “Christmas in July” post about how I’ve enjoyed sharing back with my son and daughter-in-law from the gift they gave to me. I was able to share with them a pot of Livingstone Daisies. I was able to give them the very first cucumber – which was from my Advent Seed Calendar. And when it comes to the Thyme, I was excited to share the Thyme with them on homemade pizzas. I used the Thyme in the pizza sauce … and also, the Basil as a pizza topping.
How fun to give back out of the gift they gave to me! “Give and it will be given to you.” – Luke 6:38
Thank you God for the gift of Thyme! Thank you God for Christmas in July!
Cress!
The Cress is flowering and going to seed. The Cress flowers are super teeny tiny …
It’s easy to overlook the teeny tiny flowers … and the teeny tiny seeds of the Cress plant. After all, the Cress plant is so lush and green and beautiful! The Cress leaves add a wonderful kick of flavor to salads, etc. … The Cress is a showstopper in the lineup of plants sitting over in the window.
Meanwhile, the teeny tiny flowers … and the teeny tiny seeds are completely overlooked.
But then … one day it suddenly dawns that the Cress isn’t doing as great as it was a few months ago. In fact, the Cress is no longer in its prime.
The Cress leaves are starting to wither a bit. The Cress‘s lushness is starting to thin.
How can this be?? The Cress was doing so well. The Cress was lush and beautiful. The Cress was impressing everyone with its delightful “kick of flavor.” How can this be??
But yes … the Cress is indeed withering. And those teeny tiny flowers (which were completely overlooked) turned into teeny tiny seeds (which were likewise completely overlooked).
And as the glory and greatness of this year’s Cress withers and fades (much to the Cress‘s dismay that this is happening! How can this happen?!) … the next generation of Cress quietly takes its place in the world.
As I watch the Cress flower and go to seed … thoughts about the next generation have been weighing heavy on my heart and mind.
What are we doing to help the next generation?? What are we doing to support the next generation?? What are we doing to encourage the next generation??
The next generation is so very important! As I watch my Cress plant, I pray that God will help hubby and me to love the next generation well … to support the next generation well … to encourage the next generation!
“What we have heard and known, … we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done … so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.” – Psalm 78:3-4, 6-7
Thank you God for the lessons you have been teaching me through the Cress plant.
Thank you God for the gift of Cress! Thank you God for Christmas in July!
Arugula!
Just like the Cress, the Arugula is flowering and going to seed.
Is that not a beautifully unique flower! I’ve never seen anything like it.
The Arugula is flowering and going to seed … but at the same time, it is still continuing to grow with new Arugula leaves for our lunch sandwiches each day. Even though it is flowering and going to seed (it’s nearing the end of its life cycle) it hasn’t quit. It hasn’t given up on life. It’s still being “fruitful.” It’s still producing. It’s still growing for the glory of God. It’s still doing what it was made to do.
I pray that I will be like the Arugula … and that I will keep “growing” and being “fruitful” for the glory of God, even to my old years.
God says: “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you.” – Isaiah 46:4
God has promised that he will be faithful to me … even to my old age. I pray that I likewise will be faithful … even in my old years.
Thank you God for the lessons you have been teaching me through the Arugula.
Thank you God for the gift of Arugula! Thank you God for Christmas in July!
