The Parable of the Orchid

The orchid in 2009. 
Every year about this time I usually post a picture of my cattleya orchid and talk about a life lesson I learned from it: in short, I planted this thing when it was a baby and watered it faithfully for FIVE years.  I had begun to think it would never do anything but sit there and taunt me, but one day it bloomed--a rather bug-eaten bloom, but a bloom nonetheless.  The next year it produced two or three blossoms, and the next year it produced so many flowers I couldn't count them.  Everyone who came to the house marveled at the thing; it was truly a showpiece.  Lesson Learned:  patience pays off.

But this year . . . nada.  Not a single bloom, not even a sheaf containing a bloom.
New plant #1. 

And it wasn't hard to see the problem.

My orchid had simply outgrown its (huge) pot.  So I waited for a nice weather day, found another good-sized pot, and thought I would divide the massive plant in two.

Ha.  The plant's roots were tightly intertwined, and cutting/hacking through them was no easy feat.  And the plant didn't WANT to be divided in two, it wanted to be divided in fourths.  So I ended up with four large orchid plants, all of which are adjusting to their new homes.

New plant #2. 
And it struck me that this orchid is still teaching me lessons.  Sometimes we outgrow a situation in which we've been happy and fruitful.  I don't think this applies to marriages (or it shouldn't), but it certainly could apply to avenues of ministry, to occupations, and even to life itself.  Because one day we will all have used up our allotted number of days, and we will be ready to be transplanted to a new home.

So no pictures of orchid blooms this year.  Just pictures of new starts, each of them hoping to bear fruit in a new place.

In the doctrine of God's sovereignty, I know that everything that happens in my life is part of his plan for me. He will be with me, he will support me through it, everything is part of the grand adventure he has laid out for my life.  So if being "transplanted" means attempting new things in a new place, I'm up for it. And I'll trust him to ease me through the transition phase of adjusting to new surroundings.

Have you been transplanted recently? How was your adjustment? How did God prove himself faithful?

New plant #3. 




New plant #4. 
~~Angie 
By Angela on Thursday, January 05, 2012 @ 10:21 AM


for this post

 
Anonymous Anonymous Says:

Wow. You're smart.

 
 
Anonymous Anonymous Says:

(that's Accidental Poet being Anonymous because Blogger is being ...itself.

 
 
Blogger Kathy C. Says:

good application

 
 
Blogger Ruthie Says:

Oh, howdy I've been transplanted! We moved 45 minutes away to the opposite side of the city and to a totally different world. Culture and climate are so different from where we lived for the last 11 years. On top of that, our new apartment is not as handicapped-friendly as the old one was, making it difficult for me to even manage caring for myself.

The one thing we are certain of, however, is that God wants us where we are, difficult adjustments and all. We aren't sure why, though we kind of know one reason. What we have to do is trust that our Heavenly Father knows best and is taking very good care of us. If we didn't believe that, we'd break our lease and move out in a heartbeat!

 
 
Anonymous Anonymous Says:

Big-time transplant. Tedious adjustment. And, YES! God proved faithful.

My transplanting caused me to wonder if I'd been hearing God correctly...which caused me to ponder more than I should (translate worry?). But reading His Word I decided He was saying, "Rest." Not rest as in take a nap or vacation, but as you might soothe your grandbaby: Don't fret, you'll be OK.

When I decided to rest in Him, He gave me a sky FULL of message. Standing at the edge of the Pacific Ocean, from north to south, 180 degrees of sky, all clouds aimed at one point on the horizon. A sky-sized arrow reminding me that no matter how small my awareness, if I'm looking God will always show me the next step.

Resting. It feels good.

Happy New Year, Angie!
Mary Kay

 

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Happy New Year!

I hope you had a safe and happy New Year's Eve--we had friends over for dinner, played a few games of Rummicube, and were safely tucked in bed before midnight.  :-)  Ah.  My idea of a perfect evening.

And I hope you will have a safe and blessed New Year, full of challenges and surprises, learning and living.

To start you off, I'm offering a Kindle-ful of free books, free only until midnight tonight!  Here's your chance to snag AFTON OF MARGATE CASTLE, ROANOKE, LOVING SOMEONE ELSE'S CHILD, MY LIFE AS A MIDDLE SCHOOL MOM, and THE CASE OF THE MYSTERY MARK (for kids) free!   Happy reading!

~~Angie 
By Angela on Sunday, January 01, 2012 @ 9:15 AM


for this post

 
Blogger Carol McClain Says:

Thanks, Angela. I've just read my third book of yours, and loved it, so I snagged all but the kids book.

Elevator was my favorite. Uncharted and The Note were also fabulous.

 
 
Blogger Linda G Says:

Hi Angie!
I would love to win a Kindle with some of your books already on it.
I don't have a Kindle and I'm always in danger of running out of books when traveling.

Wishing you Happy Trails and Safe Travels for 2012!

 
 
Blogger .t Says:

sure would be nice to win the kindle with all your books. Thanks for the chance !!

 
 
Anonymous Caroline in NH Says:

Just got to your page from a link Terri Blackstock posted on her FB status. Sorry I missed the free books!

 
 
Anonymous Judi Jorgensen Says:

Like Caroline, I went by the post Terri posted on FB status. Sorry I also missed the free books. You are such an exceptional writer and I love reading anything you write. :-)

 
 
Anonymous tiffany Says:

Oh man...apparently I missed the free books, I got excited when I saw terri blackstocks fb status. I just got a kindle for Christmas so free books would have been awesome.

 
 
Blogger PolkaDotPrincess Says:

Disappointed I missed this. I just saw Terri Blackstock's posting on fb which was posted on the 2nd of Jan (16 hours ago) and it didn't mention that it was already over. Oh well, nice for those who got it!

 

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Maybe it was made in China . . .

video

By Angela on Wednesday, December 28, 2011 @ 6:30 AM


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Blogger Carrie Says:

That is funny

 
 
Blogger Mocha with Linda Says:

LOL - At first I thought you were trying to show us some wording on the back, so I enlarged it to full screen. Then I saw it. Hilarious!

 
 
Blogger Angela Says:

Oy. Thanks for calling my attention to the typo in the title, Linda. I guess my "good enough" wasn't enough! LOL!

 
 
Anonymous Anonymous Says:

Funny irony!

:-) Mary Kay

 

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Family theme for Queen's speech - Home - ITN.co.uk

Family theme for Queen's speech - Home - ITN.co.uk

A big thank you to Leslie Sowell for sharing this link with me--I've always loved Elizabeth II, and I think you'll enjoy this message, too.

A happy Christmas to all.

~~Angie
By Angela on Tuesday, December 27, 2011 @ 1:11 PM


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Dogs Saying Grace

In keeping with the spirit of Christmas, it's nice to see that some dogs know how to pray before their Christmas (and anytime) dinners:




A blessed Christmas to you!

~~Angie
By Angela on Sunday, December 25, 2011 @ 4:43 PM


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Anonymous Anonymous Says:

Hard as I tried, I could not get my cats to do this. *sigh* Clyde

 

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Birthday surprise!

It's Angela Hunt's birthday, but you get the presents! Afton of Margate Castle, Roanoke, Then Comes Marrisge, and The Case of the Mystery Mark all FREE on Kindle today!
By Angela on Tuesday, December 20, 2011 @ 8:43 AM


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Blogger k_stin Says:

Happy Birthday!

 
 
Blogger Bakersdozen Says:

Happy Birthday. Your birthday is 2 days after mine!

 
 
Blogger Heather Murphy Says:

Happy Birthday! And thanks for the books :)

 
 
Blogger The Brazil Turleys Says:

Happy birthday to a true champion, and thanks for the books. our 10 yr old was excited to add them to her Kindle.

 
 
Blogger Carrie Says:

Happy Birthday! Now I wish I had a kindle. One is going on my wish list.

 

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The Duggar's 20th baby

I don't routinely follow  the show "Nineteen Kids and Counting", but I was shocked and touched by recent photos released by the family after the mother, Michelle, miscarried their twentieth child in her second trimester.

I was touched because the photos show how beautiful and perfect the hands and feet of Jubilee Shalom Duggar were.  The family contacted "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep," an organization I have endorsed in one of my books, in order to have a permanent memento of their 20th child.  These photos are beautiful, loving, and clearly show how human this tiny child was.

What shocked me was that TMZ called these pictures "photos of the fetal corpse" and even included a disclaimer of their site, saying that these photos might offend viewers.  Excuse me?  What kind of offense could these little feet cause?

Except . . . it truly might shock and educate those who believe that an unborn baby is a featureless fetus, a creature less than human simply because it has never breathed outside its mother's body.  TMZ treated this entire story of the Duggar's action as something macabre and horrible, and I, for one, think their reaction is what's macabre and horrible.

Human life is fully human at conception. There is nothing horrible or shameful about a baby in the womb, even a baby that does not survive in the womb . . . unless that baby is forcibly pulled from the womb with a vacuum machine, a scalpel, or pair of scissors, or a salty solution that burns the baby's skin from its body.

THAT's horrible. That's macabre. And I'm ashamed and shocked to realize that many in our nation have confused these two realities.

~~Angie 
By Angela on Friday, December 16, 2011 @ 9:24 AM


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Blogger Cassandra R. Cooper Says:

Thank you for this blog. I am so tired of hearing and reading such negative press on this loving family. Bless you.
Cassandra

 
 
Anonymous Anonymous Says:

I totally agree! I do not watch their show or follow them, but as a mother I can only imagine their pain and sorrow.
It is shameful how the world views the unborn. We need to continue to be the voice of these little ones.
Thank you for your comments!

 
 
Blogger Loretta Oakes Says:

Angie:

Love this post. I agree with you on all counts. I did not see the TMZ's treatment of the loss of the Duggar's 20th child, but I think they have raised awareness that is important. In fact, this little one (who is now with Jesus) may change the mind of a woman who thinks abortion is her only recourse.

A friend of mine, Megan D., told us about the "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep" organization and a few years later I called them to take pictures of my niece, Trinity Rose as she was born at 23 weeks and did not survive more than 12 hours. They quickly came and took pictures of her while she was alive in her mother's and father's arms and I know how much those pictures comfort them to this day. It is an amazing organization! Thanks for sharing this.

The reason TMZ thinks these photos are horrible is because it shocks them to the core that they may have to consider their stance on life in the womb.

Thank you for posting this!

 
 
Blogger daisymarie Says:

I read this and just wept. And then I prayed. Thank you for putting words to this...I pray that it makes a godly difference.

~Tina Hunt

 
 
Anonymous Anonymous Says:

Amen Angela! Martha

 
 
Blogger Mel Says:

Very precious for the parents. I did read however that the Duggars did not give permission for their photos to be released to the public :( Love the photo you published with this article. Sweet little feet.

Blessings,
Mel
Please feel free to stop by: Trailing After God

 
 
Anonymous Anonymous Says:

What a wonderful tribute you have given this family and all families who suffer the loss of a new baby. Like many, we have suffered that loss in our family more than once and this gave me much comfort. Much love and appreciation. Clyde

 
 
Blogger Megan DiMaria Says:

I hadn't heard about TMZ's reaction. The truth is an offense to those who try to deny it. Thanks for posting this, Angie.

 
 
Blogger Terri L. Gillespie Says:

Thank you for your blog, Angie.

 
 
Blogger Leslie Says:

While I don't disagree that this may force people to rethink things; My first inclination is that TMZ said all that to GET people to click on the article. The more people that click on articles; the more ads are generated; the more $ - People who don't know or don't care who the Duggars are are going to be much more likely to look at pictures that "might be offensive" than something that's not.

 
 
Anonymous Katy McKenna Says:

I have held my own baby boy, just that size, in my hand. It is something that changes your life and your heart. You can never go back.....

 
 
Blogger Flossysmom Says:

Thanks for writing this article !

 
 
Blogger Trueheart Says:

Thank you for your blog. I do watch 19 Kids and Counting. I am brokenhearted that Michelle has lost her little Jubilee. They are a precious family and represent, to me, the essence of giving complete control to God. I have heard of TMZ, but don't know what it is. Talk about missing the point entirely. Thank you for sharing not only your thoughts but for sharing an organization that can bring solace to families in the midst of the greatest sorrow.

 
 
Blogger Jennifer Says:

Thank you for putting this information to light! The world needs to be educated and face reality that precious bundle is a BABY!!
My questions to TMZ would be:
1. Why can you feel the baby kicking you?
2.Why can you hear a heartbeat?
3.Why does one have to go to drs. appointments ?
4.Being careful not to over do it and watching what you eat or drink?
Praying for the Duggar family.
jennydtipton@gmail.com

 
 
Blogger Ane Mulligan Says:

It hurts each time a baby is lost. TMZ and others like them are blind. I think this is a beautiful memorial.

 
 
Anonymous Anonymous Says:

Thank you for your post. My daughter's first baby was stillborn at 36 weeks, it was devastating! The hospital had a trained staff for this situation, they were marvelous in their care. Ryder was a beautiful baby boy and is home with Jesus. She has had three children since then (2006) but she will never forget Ryder. There are so many women who have gone through this. Those who haven't do not always know how blessed they are. God is good, He never leaves us and is always with us through the hard times.

 
 
Blogger joanieponytail Says:

I think Jubilee Shalom Duggar will help to save the lives of many children, including the children of some people who click on the pictures for sensationalist reasons on the TMZ site.

While we are praying for the Duggar family let's also remember to pray for those at TMZ and elsewhere who find these images offensive because it may force them to confront the truth about some of their own children whose live were ended because they, the parents, believed the lies of the other side.

 
 
Anonymous Anonymous Says:

Oh, my. Powerful, Angie. Thank you for sharing this, and your thoughts. Totally agree with you. The photo was interesting--then I looked again and realized it was not of a child with feet hanging on the arm of the couch--but held between a parent's fingers!

Mary Kay

 
 
Blogger Leah Says:

Just by posting the photo of the feet, TMZ shows people that fetuses have features just like any other human. They may think it's disturbing, but maybe it's disturbing because it's proof to something they've been against.

 

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Location: Florida, United States

In no particular order, Angela Hunt is a novelist, teacher, nana, mother, wife, mastiff owner, reader, musician, student, aspiring theologian, and bubble gum connoisseur. The things that enter her life sooner or later find their way into her books, hence "a life in pages."

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