Dusk is my favorite time of day, sans mosquitoes. It is the end of a day whose tasks are either done or not, whose results are either success or failure or somewhere in between. My day started full of hope, but ended with disappointment due to circumstances beyond my control. I found my mood becoming sour over this one disappointment, disregarding all of the other good that occurred throughout the day. It is technically autumn here, and I'm in my happy season, Standard Time, the "fall back" season when my circadian rhythm finally feels in sync with the movements of nature. I rise with the sun, and quiet with its setting. I knew that I needed to escape the walls of the house to escape my mood and used the excuse that I needed to put the baby chicks to bed. How calming to see the sliver moon with Venus shining brightly beside, the last rays of sunset glowing behind our big oak tree. Eveningtide. Peace. (Breathe in, breathe out. Again.) It brought to mind the words of a hymn: "Abide with me, fast falls the eventide..." The author, Henry Francis Lyte, wrote the hymn after visiting with a friend with failing health. His own health was not good, suffering from tuberculosis, but he continued to preach and care for others even when his body was failing him. It is reported that he said, "It is better to wear out than to rust out." The scripture inspiration for the hymn comes from the book of Luke, where followers of Jesus were walking on the road to Emmaeus. Talk about disappointment! Their teacher had been crucified and buried, and now the body was missing, and the women at the tomb were babbling about Jesus being risen from the dead. (Yes, that's my interpretation of how it all went down.) As the followers walked and talked, a traveler joined them, a stranger that they did not yet recognize. As the day was ending, the followers asked the stranger to "abide" with them, stay, rest, eat. It was customary to offer such hospitality to strangers in the Hebrew culture, and it was in this act of resting and breaking bread together that Jesus revealed himself to them as the risen Christ. Abide. Breathe. Know that you have made it through another day, and dawn is coming with an opportunity to start anew.

A funeral took me back to my hometown in north Florida this weekend, back to my great-grandparents' homestead, back to twisting, winding, country roads. As I was navigating back roads, trying to remember shortcuts to various family member's houses, I had to make some adjustments on the fly, like when I missed a turn and had to "bang a u-ey" by a cow pasture. It was really bad at night, because there are NO lights out in the boonies and every dirt road looks the same. It reminded me of my summer. There were some unexpected turns that caught me off guard, and I did not navigate them well. I wish there had been warning signs like the one in this photo...but would I have paid attention? Or would I have ignored the warnings and still crashed? Sudden turns in our plans are inevitable regardless of how much we think we have things under control. The job has layoffs - sudden turn. The health report comes back less than great - sudden turn. A relationship ends - sudden turn. The washing machine breaks, the car starts making a funny noise, the A/C breaks - sudden turns, especially the latter! As I was alone in our family cottage last night, contemplating my summer of turns, I ran through a range of emotions, from sadness, to anger, to defeat, and ultimately to resolve. When I was a mental health therapist, I encouraged my clients struggling with depression to tackle their day by getting dressed. Don't sit around in pajamas. Get dressed as soon as you get out of bed. Accomplishing that one thing will make you more likely to accomplish the next thing, like eating breakfast. I had to give myself the same instructions last night: do the next thing. I can't control the sudden turns, but I can control how I navigate them. I'm reminded of a passage from Proverbs: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean NOT on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths." Yeah, I think I'll do that.

These are cranberry hibiscus. We planted them from seeds, expecting a cute little shrub to add a pop of color to the landscape. Well, they bloomed where they were planted, but then branched out. A lot. We were shocked at their rapid growth, sprawling pattern, and dramatic color throughout the year. Their refusal to be rootbound has resulted in living privacy barriers that are low maintenance and just lovely. Have you ever seen a plant that is rootbound? The roots are tightly wound around each other, maintaining the shape of the container in which the plant was growing. When that plant is transplanted, those roots have to be ripped loose, even cut, in order to break free from their restrictive growth pattern. Only then can the plant thrive in its new location. I've been told throughout my life to bloom where I'm planted, and that served me well during the years of moving around with hubby's Navy career. I went into each new volunteer opportunity with a mission because I knew we were only going to be there for a few years. I remember a pastor in Maryland encouraging me to take time to find my spot, but I bluntly told him that I didn't have time to do that. Use me while you have me! While I bloomed (served) in each duty station, I realize that I was also rootbound. I used our restricted time and service to my family as reasons, but they were actually excuses because I wasn't willing to deal with my own "stuff." It wasn't until we became empty nesters that I fully addressed those things that were keeping me stuck. The Forest Farm is growing because I'm making ongoing choices to expand my roots. What is holding you back? Are you restricted by your circumstances or simply your own choices? I fully embrace the belief that we are each created with a purpose. I'll wager that there is a unique place for you in your sphere of influence, even if you don't recognize it yet. If you need help getting "transplanted," reach out! I would be honored to help launch you into a new season of growth. Be blessed! - Tracy