Unexpected Blessings

I woke Sunday morning almost a panic because the house looked like Christmas had exploded in addition to dirty dishes, piles of laundry, trash, sticky floors, and filthy bathrooms. It would not have bothered me so much except for knowing what this week would hold. A meeting, a couple of doctor's appointments for my daughter and me, homeschool and soccer season starting back for my son, and surgery for my husband! Yep, my husband is having surgery on both ears this very morning. 

As our family rode to church, I ran over so many details in my mind, wondering how I would get everything done. But then. After sitting in a Bible class on Romans, listening to a sermon on following the Lord through our battles, praying and singing praises (I love to sing at church!), I was so at peace, I no longer worried about my list. 

I never really had to! God already had it worked out, of course. That afternoon, my family all pitched in and helped me pack away Christmas decorations and yesterday I had some unexpected time at home to scrub the house and work through some loads of laundry. 

As I was cleaning, I noticed my Christmas cactus had finally bloomed! And when I say finally bloomed, I don't just mean it finally bloomed for this year. I mean ever! My sweet daughter gave me this cactus when she worked at a grocery store several years ago. I never had a green thumb with it and almost killed it a couple of times until a few months ago when a friend told me where it needed to be placed for the best amount of light and how much to water it. It has been looking so much better ever since!

The most delightful surprise was that the bloom was white which I think is so perfect for January. I was expecting red all these years, which of course would have been very pretty, but I just can't get over that lovely white bloom! I sat it on the kitchen table to really show it off. I looked it up and I think it's called a White Thanksgiving Cactus. I'm going to keep showing it some love this next year so hopefully it will be full of white blooms next year. 

Of course there are a number of object lessons here on faithfully nurturing something, seeking wise counsel, waiting on the Lord, and receiving a blessing richer than we are expecting. 

Just some thoughts I wanted to share with you today. Happy Tuesday, friends!