A friend at work carried in a beautiful magenta orchid the morning after Easter, a gift to herself over the holidy weekend. Though it’s official name is Phaleaneopsis, it was marketed as a “Just Add Ice Orchid” because the only care required was dropping three ice cubes a week onto the soil at the base of the stem.
On the way in, however, she accidentally knocked off one of the blooms. It was sitting on her desk when I came in that morning. When I asked about it, she said she was going to throw it away, but since I was just a wee bit jealous of her fancy new plant, I said I would take it.
“That way I’ll have an orchid at my desk, too!” We laughed.
The next morning, when I came into the office, I noticed the detached orchid bloom at my desk still looked as good as the day before. It was like it was still attached to the stem. I took it in to show my friend.
“Look how well it’s holding up,” I said.
So, I put it back on the filing cabinet in my cubicle, waiting for it to shrivel.
But the next day, it still looked just as good. And the next day, and the day after that. On Friday, five days after the bloom fell from the stem, the only change that had happened was some black scarring where it had detached.
I came up with a theory about the miraculous preservation. Since the stem of an orchid is similar to a succulent, storing water in its cells, once it scarred off at the end, the bloom was able to live off the water it had stored.
Though it was dead, the orchid bloom maintained the appearance of life for days, living off its own storehouse.
Amazingly, one week after the bloom had fallen from the plant, it was only beginning to wilt. Once its water reserve was depleted though, the decay proceeded rapidly.
Each day when I came in, the orchid bloom looked a little shabbier. Finally, 11 days after it had fallen off the stem, I threw the little flower away.
_______
It’s amazing what I have learned about who God is and who I am when I have looked closely at the world around me. At theHighCalling.org, you will find people engaged in close readings of their surroundings every day, not only learning about God for themselves, but sharing what they learned with you and other readers.
TheHighCalling.org is a unique place in the online world. It’s not a search engine; it’s not just a database of other people’s information. It’s not social media, though it is about community. Mostly, it’s a place you can stop each day and breathe. It’s a way you can stay connected to the Branch.
And it’s free. All of the content, the newsletters, the online community, everything. It’s all free. Though for the first time, theHighCalling is asking those who benefit from our ministry to consider partnering with a gift. It’s not a subscription; it’s not dues. It’s a way for you to say, “Yes, what you do is life-giving.”
If you do benefit from theHighCalling.org and want to help support the ongoing ministry, or if you are new to theHighCalling.org and you just want to click over and see what it’s all about, or if you would just like a chance to receive a free book, leave a comment by Thursday night, and you’ll be entered in my first ever drawing for a copy of theHighCalling.org managing editor, LL Barkat’s book, God in the Yard.
Stop back by to see if you are the winner on Friday (I’ll also contact the winner to arrange for shipping the book), and also, look for the chance to win another book at that time.
And don’t forget to give, if you can.
I received two orchids during and after my hospital stay recently. One was a magenta “just add ice” variety. The other, white with purple spots and no instructions. I’m treating them both the same because I only know one thing about orchids from my sister-in-law’s mother, who raises them. They’re delicate flowers.
I’m hopeful I’ll be able to keep them alive. Who knows? Maybe one day my daughters’ sisters-in-law will learn about orchids from me.
Love the Vine analogy and what you’re doing to promote the good things that happen within The High Calling!
Charity,
This word choice: “Life-Giving.”
Yes, that’s what The High Calling has been in my life.
Because of The High Calling, my soul has been quenched at the Wellspring; I’ve met a BibleDude; I’ve had a Holy Experience and I have eaten a lot of Spaghettipie. I’ve heard A Different Story and I’ve read Love Notes to Yahweh. And much more!
Thank you for the invitation to give, Charity.
P.S. — I already have a copy of L.L.’s magnificent book, so you don’t need to include me in the drawing.
That is such a beautiful example how we must stay connected to the “vine.” We may survive for a season and still appear to have life, but without that constance drinking at the well of life, we too will begin to fade.