Duality

Death and life seem to find their way in my heart at the same time. It seems God orchestrates these polar opposites to co-exist as a reminder of the circle of life. This has occured with human life and death but also with seasons and sometimes... plants. God uses anything and everything to speak to us! Yesterday He spoke through an aloe plant. Well, not literally of course although that would be AMAZING! Instead of the burning bush it could have been "The Amazing Aloe"! I digress, ok, the story of the aloe plant...

Once upon a time there was a girl in need of an aloe plant. She sent out an SOS to friends and BOOM! Aloe plant!

Oh geesh, I can't keep up that story telling throughout this... k, a couple of years ago I needed aloe, a friend provided. She prayed over the situation and even the aloe that it would bring healing! It was used and loved and then died.

I killed it.

Or so I thought...

After seeing it brown and dead for quite some time I decided to toss it so I could use the pot it was in. There was a part of me that couldn't stand to throw it in the trash so I just tossed it to the side of the yard.

Quite some time later, months later... the hubs came in and declared "Joy, I think that aloe wants to live. I put it in some dirt"
We were amazed and amused! This aloe with bare roots not only came back to life but had new growth!!! We bought some cactus soil and that was that.

Or so I thought...

I go outside one day to find my miracle aloe had BABIES!!! Y'all, it was so fun! It was then I realized once again that I may need a life haha No seriously, I had so much fun watching these lil pups grow. Gave my niece one and through the summer they got so big they were squeezing out of the pot. I kept saying "I need to split those" over and over until well... It's mid January now :)

A couple of weeks ago I bought some cactus soil with the intent of splitting the Aloe plant to allow it to grow even more babies. Between life, weather and my professional procrastination it didn't get done until... yesterday. What better day to split an aloe plant than a day we are expecting tornadoes right?! I hurried as the wind started picking up, certain I could beat the rain. I did! To my surprise as I separated the babies there were 14... yes FOURTEEN!!!! Say wha???

Here's what God was speaking to my heart "Death brings life".

His death (Jesus) brought life.

More often than not when a loved one in my life has died, God has brought new life!!!

The storal of the mory is this...

When you experience a death of any kind... life, a dream, a marriage, friendships... any death. HOLD ON TO HOPE!!!

Death brings life!

It hurts, grieve it! New life is amazing and beautiful, embrace and enjoy it!

Duality

It's not either or, it's BOTH!