A Flash Of Pink

I just want to share a happy with you all:

My Great Grandmother and Grandfather on my Dad's side, Granny and Grampy Bennett, lived on a working farm close to Benton, IL.  I have fond memories of riding the tractor, chasing the chickens, eating "sticky" popcorn, and finding dropped peacock feathers in the side yard.  Granny kept "pea fowl".  They would make the most awful noises, but they were beautiful.

When Granny passed, my Nana got a Christmas cactus that had been in Granny's parlor forever.  When Nana passed, I brought the cactus home.  I do not have a green thumb, but it really seems to love the spot that I happened to put it in my kitchen.  It has grown by leaps and bounds over the years, and I have had to re-pot it several times.  For years it would bloom at Christmas (hence the name "Christmas cactus") with the most beautiful bright pink flowers.  I would get so excited when I started seeing that hint of pink at the end of each of the deep, true green serrated stalks.  Then within a week or so it would be completely covered in fuchsia.  However, for the last two Christmases it has not bloomed....In fact...It has not bloomed since Nick got sick.

About an hour ago I walked in the kitchen and looked at the cactus, inspecting the branches as I often do.  When I stepped around the far side of the plant something caught my eye:  a flash of pink.  At the end of a single stalk there is a bloom.  It is not yet open, but in the next day or two it will stand out like a candle in the darkness.

I know that this may not sound like much to some of you, but it speaks volumes to me.  As soon as I saw the maturing bloom, I eyed the rest of the plant hoping to find more.  I guess that's what most people would have done.  When we get something that we have desired, it's human nature to want more.  However, I was almost instantly convicted that I really should be thankful for the gift of the day.

Most of this day has been less than stellar.  I let a lot of little things add up to steal my joy.  At one point I was angry for no real reason, and had to walk away before saying something that I knew I would regret.   However, this one little potential bloom has turned it all around.  How goofy is that?  That little pink nub has probably been there for days, but it didn't get brought to my attention until I really needed to see it.

I am thankful for this sweet little desire of my heart being fulfilled, and for the glorious God who brought it about.  It is well.