The Re-potting of Blanche

Not being a "green-thumb" type, I'm not sure if "re-potting" is actually a word, but I'm using it anyways. I have fallen in love (I believe it is possible) with my beautiful Ficus, which was given to me over a year ago. Blanche has graced my desk at work with her presence since she arrived in my life, and she has grown. New leaves have sprung up and she stretches taller than she did a year ago.

A week ago I realized my beautiful plant was out growing her pot. Her roots, not able to push down, were pushing upward, out of the dirt. She has had no where to grow. Today, I ran errands, enjoying a middle of the week day off, and I went and found a new pot for my plant. Armed with dirt, I attempted to do what I had never done before and move Blanche from one pot to a new pot, thus the "re-pot" comes in to play.

As I carefully removed Blanche from her old home, to move to her new, I found exactly what I had expected to find. Her roots were all bunched up tight, unable to move, unable to grown. Following the directions, I planted her safely in her new home, where I expect she'll have more room to grow.

It struck me as I was moving her, that she has been trapped in a tight area, not able to grow. She has had no choice. At the same time, I realized I trap myself. I wrap myself up tight, and while maybe safe, I have no where to grow. I don't allow God to move in me. Moving to a new place is scary. I've done it. It's unnerving, going where you don't know, moving to a place with which you are unfamiliar. I don't only mean moving physically. There's more than that. There is the surrender, saying to God, I have no idea what you want with me, but I'm open. I don't know who you want me to be, or where you want me to go, or do, but I'm open.

It feels safer doing the same routine day in and day out. Reading the same verses, seeing the same friends, doing what is familiar, but then there is the beauty of risk, the beautiful potential that surrounds every day when I walk out my door. I can continue to do what I have always done, and continue to get what I've always got, or I can become something bigger. Grow somewhere newer.

Today, that is my prayer. That I will be open to God moving in my life. Open to Him challenging me to be a light.

Time to stretch my roots.