A Desert Sage...

Do you see me?

For some reason, through a process that has developed over the years, I seem to hear God most while mowing the yard. There is clarity to thoughts that surface during the process. So as I walked by the front porch where the dusty green leafed Desert Sage was planted a few years ago, it asked, “Do you see me? Do you see what I am doing?” I passed on the question but the next time I walked by, and the mower was off, the locust in the large Red Oak tsk, tsk’d me as if they were reminding me to respond to God’s prodding question. So I took another look at this bush, planted in a not so great place and tried to see what it was asking of me.

The Desert Sage in my front yard is actually planted in an area of clay about 12”x24” at the front of the garage, just next to the walk up to the front porch. It is surrounded by concrete and the room it has to grow is small. When it was planted I dug a deep hole, put the roots in the hole, and then covered it with top soil. I chose this plant for this location due to its drought resistant nature and ability for full sun. I thought that being surrounded by concrete in the North Texas summer was not conducive to healthy growth. Yet this plant has survived here, in this spot where it was planted a few years ago. It is slightly larger now though not as large as the huge shrub size one that is at the Chic-fil-a drive through near my home. I wonder if mine is not so big because of where it is planted? I wonder what would happen if I transplanted it to open ground with a deeper root growth area?

For weeks on end during the dry summer months the dusty green leafed sage fulfills its purpose of providing color and breaking up the monotony of brick and by filling a hole surrounded by concrete. But on the rare occasions when rain visits this Desert Sage, well, look at it now. The dusty green is filled with bright purple flowers adding another color and beauty to what was plain. Now when people walk by it draws their eye. Still it fills its stated purpose in the place where it finds itself planted. Still it resists drought by not giving up its nature for the momentary rain fall that unlocks the purple flowers. The flowers are there for a few days until the soil grows dry again. They promise to return when the time is right.

I wonder what the Desert Sage asked me to see about myself when it asked me to look at its nature and location?