Spiritual Lessons Gleaned From Ferns

Greetings Everybody,

Last night was fun.  We had thunder and rain and the electricity went out.  

I lit a candle, took out the iPAD, hooked up a speaker, and we watched silly ole TV shows that had I previously downloaded.

It was sort of like camping out, but WAY better.

No drippy tents.

No outside "facilities" lol.

Anyway, I got up this morning, and took my iPAD outside to get a photo of my ferns for you guys to see.
As it happens, my ferns are thriving this year.

Take a look...

I LOVE FERNS!

I love their flexibility.

I love the way they compensate for each other and allow each other to flourish and grow..

I love how they seem to thrive in each others company.

And I think that Strong Healthy Families are a lot like Ferns.

1.  They show flexibility.

2.  They compensate for each other and allow each other to flourish and grow.

3.  They draw strength from being together.

Not to put to fine a point on this concept, but as it happens, last summer all of my ferns died because there was no rain.

We watched them scorch, turn brown, shrivel and eventually my husband clipped away all the dead stalks and we thought that we had lost them forever.


Yet, here they are again.  They did not die completely.

They were just in a season of hardship.

Hmmmm....

I think that there might be an analogy here somewhere.

We already talked about how Healthy Families are like Ferns.

But what if God is sort of like the Rain that brings Ferns out of their seasons of hardship?

We have all heard of Showers of Blessing right?

It's not that much of a stretch to see this how God is able to restore us, just like rain restores thirsty ferns.

To further illustrate this analogy, let me share with you that this spring when the rains came, the ferns sprouted right back up.

And they have flourished more and more with each subsequent rain.

My Ferns Have Been Renewed.

Now let's tie this back to the discussion of how Ferns are like Families.


Every Family I know of, goes through times of "drought and hardship". 

They experience seasons troubles, trials, tribulations, and generally tough times.

But Families who are grounded in Faith seem to survive, no matter what kind of hardship comes their way....just like my ferns.

We all experience these "Seasons".

Scripture is very explicit about this.

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
-a time to be born and a time to die, 
-a time to plant and a time to uproot, 
-a time to kill and a time to heal, 
-a time to tear down and a time to build, 
-a time to weep and a time to laugh, 
-a time to mourn and a time to dance, 
-a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, 
-a time to embrace and a time to refrain, 
-a time to search and a time to give up, 
-a time to keep and a time to throw away, 
-a time to tear and a time to mend, 
-a time to be silent and a time to speak, -a time to love and a time to hate, 
-a time for war and a time for peace." 
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8


Clearly we all have seasons and some of them may be difficult ones.


But have been given the assurance that if we remain close to God, He WILL Help Us.


If... We avoid those who walk in the counsel of the wicked...
If... We do avoid keeping company with those who are choosing to sin...
If... We stop ourselves from mocking being mean to  others...
If... We delight in God, and His Words...(and btw I would be re-miss if failed to mention that "delighting in His Words" conveys ACTIVE Obedience to His Will as well.)


Then...We will be BLESSED.


We can endure the seasons of troubles, trials, tribulations, and generally tough times...


Because we know that God has also prepared seasons of renewal, restoration, rejuvenation, and rest. 

God, Thank You For The RAIN!

So there ya have it:
Spiritual Lessons Gleaned From Ferns.


Be Blessed!


In Him,
Grace