Winter’s blessings on the beach

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It’s a gorgeous day this second to the last day of January in eastern NC. The sky is the lovely pale blue that reminds one of the Carolina Panthers’ color schemes. The sun is brightly shining and the wind, a little crisp, blowing, but not harshly. It was lovely walking and sucking up the blessing of it being this mild. There are some gentle whitecaps dotting both the ocean and the sound, and I can see the waters moving in a northerly direction.

                                                                 . this was my sunrise view this morning from my deck.

I can’t stop the thank yous and acknowledgments to God for planting me here. It is such a perfect area for me.

I was raised in New England. Brrrrrr. Later, my husband and I were blessed to live in Germany for several years while associated with the military, and moved here to eastern NC in 2000. In February of that year, I was planting bulbs and plants that I bought that morning; so excited to have spring in February!
And it was a lovely day to be gardening……but much too early. All I planted died.

So the next year, I waited until early March to begin planting. That, too was a bit too early. Eastern North Carolina tends to have mild temperatures in the winter. But that does not mean it does not freeze and that plants, especially the newly planted can’t suffer and die with a harsh night.

But I learned several valuable lessons. One, just because I am ready for something, does not mean that is God’s perfect time. Two, there are lots of ways to enjoy the bounty without planting flowers, and still improving and preparing for nature’s burst of Spring color and flowers. Three, when we prepare and walk in God’s timing, we receive a beautiful bounty; and then have the peace of things coming together well and smoothly, and according to His plan for us. The perfect plan.

It was frustrating and a little hurtful (I get attached to my plants!)to see them shriveled, browned and dead. And I felt guilty that they had “suffered” for my impatience, my ‘pride’ at having early lovely flowers, and disgusted I had spent a good deal of money which was just ‘poofed’ away with nothing to show for it….but a lesson learned.  I now wait until about the 20th of March before planting. But I still manage to find things to do to enjoy the outside during the winter in eastern NC, especially during sunny days and warmer temps. So thankful I have been planted here.

But for me, enjoying gardening, I like the rain and moisture to come and feed my plants giving them the moisture they need. So although the outside may look gray and bleak, there are such good things delivered by rain, and as we all know, once the rains end, the sun shines, and the world feels happier and more energetic.

Our God was awesome to create just the two blessings for us, never mind the bounty of all the others we have. Animals, birds, the sounds of cheeping, singing, and nature you hear, if you pause to listen.
I still leap in impatience oftentimes. But I am beginning to be better since I have seen, felt, and experienced the bounty of waiting for God’s timing, and have in turn the memories of what my own impatience has at times cost.
So I walk, I watch the beach, enjoy my neighbors and thank God for His bounty, and the fact that he has placed me in eastern NC since I am NOT a proponent of snow and cold any longer.                                                                                                                                                                           And this will soon be one of my Spring blessings…. His timing and placement work quite well at ‘mybellaviews.’