Sunday’s Beauty!
We arrived early at the port to walk onto the ferry and enjoy the cruise over to Victoria. We were invited to sit with an older couple who had extra seats across from them in their booth and heard their life stories along the way. I grabbed a cup of coffee and a breakfast sandwich from the cafe. It took about a hour and half to go from one port to the other. Listening to the stories of Glenda and Robert made the time pass quickly. Once there, we waked across the street to check in to the shuttle and explore the Empress Fairmont hotel. We hopped on a shuttle a bit later that took us to the gardens. Buchart Gardens is over a 100 years old. When we walked in I was quickly taken back to Disneyland. It feels like Disneyland without the rides and all the beauty. It’s gorgeous! From the minute you reach the entrance there are flowers everywhere.
The land on which this exists was a limestone quarry and when it was finished being mined, it was bare and ugly. Jennie Butchart took to task making something out of nothing. She must have been an artist herself to envision what we see today. She got the best of the best to help her and went to work. After many years, her grandson took over the task and completed the work. A process that took well over 50 years to complete. The gardens are still in the family and as beautiful as ever!
The idea of taking something ugly, bare and what looks to be useless and turn it into something beautiful, blooming and breathtaking is such a visual of what God does to us through our life with Christ. In the Potter’s hand we are made beautiful. The old has passed away and all things are new. Oh thanks be to God for his gracious way of pruning me so I can become more like him by the power of his Holy Spirit. He truly makes beauty from ashes. The process of being pruned sometimes hurts. Ok, all the time. It’s painful to let go of my way, my whatever, to be more like Jesus. I love roses and understand to get more blooms they HAVE to be pruned regularly. The trimmers are sharp and direct. They do the job well. Oy, that’s exactly how it feels to be pruned by the Lord. If I don’t pay attention to what’s happening I’ll spin out of control whining, complaining, and frustrated. It’s not that God prunes everyday, all the time, but in the seasons that He sees the yuck in my heart and my life that’s needs GO, he prunes. My part is to lean in, trust him is the work he’s doing, and allow the Holy Spirit to refine me. God’s desires for me are far greater than I can see. His unconditional love and his saving grace is salve to my soul. For me, God has never let me down. It’s not always easy peasy to allow him to shape this lump of clay, but I’m grateful for his gentle hand and strong love for me.
Reality Check-
Are you willing to allow God to prune you? Do you pay attention to that tug in your heart that says something’s not right? Ask the Lord if it’s him trying to take out some old stones and put in a beautiful garden.
Thanks for Listening,
Tuna Jones
Buchart Gardens
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