Weep or rejoice?

We’ve owned our 15 acres for several months now, so we have seen it go from snow to buds to fully-leaved trees. Once things started growing we saw that our land has a lot of low-lying cactus plants growing. And I mean a lot.

It bummed me out, because I want my kids to race around freely through the property while growing up. I don’t want them to have to look where they are going so much.

We drove out there on Sunday to look around and make a couple decisions about the frontage. As soon as we drove in I shouted, “Look! Look at the cacti!” (To be honest, I think I said cactuses. Even a person who makes a living correcting grammar lets some mistakes fly occasionally.)

The cactus plants, which I haven’t liked at all, are in full bloom. They are beautiful.

When I was growing up my mom gave me a poster with a long stemmed rose on it. Alongside the rose it said, “I can weep because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”

My sister has mentioned several times in her blog that she is a “glass half empty” kind of girl. I think it’s in our genes. Heck, even my mom knew it when she gave me that poster back when I was a grumpy teen.

So, as I work to dig myself out of the hole of the past year, I think the cacti were there for a reason. A smack-in-the-face reminder that everything has thorns, but there is also beauty abounding. It’s all about seeking it out, and appreciating the good. The bad just makes the good that much better.

So here’s to the good! The beauty among the thorns!I pick to rejoice.
And some more flowers on our property.I asked Kyle and Erin to hold their arms out while I took their picture......and Kyle said, "No, I want one like this." Love that boy!