"Bloom Where You Are Planted" Part 1: - The Compost and the Ackee Tree by Petra Pierre - Robertson

"Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;" 2 Corinthians 4:9

Compost and Ackee Tree

We called it compost.  As far as I was concerned it was a sophisticated name for 'rubbish heap' because that is what it looked like. A mound of dirt on which was cast discarded biodegradable substances: skins of fruits like oranges, lime, grapefruit, watermelon, banana, pommecythere, coconut husk, leaves from the trees in the backyard and the like. They were cast there to biodegrade; a classy word for rotten. The intention was to eventually hire a tractor to remove the ‘unsightly’, albeit eruditely classified mound, so the wall may be repaired and painted, thus making the backyard more aesthetically pleasing.

Rubbish Heap (oops I mean Compost)

One day, while I was engaging in an uncharacteristic and first time task of raking leaves in the back yard, (a form of exercise to beat the immobility that COVID-19 and quarantine had inflicted), as I proceeded to the 'compost' to dump the leaves, I came upon the sight of a plethora of shoots, growing in the compost. They were the products of carelessly discarded seeds, fruits and other biodegradable substances - mint, thyme, mango, orange, avocado and coconut to name a few. Although unwanted, deemed useless, cast aside and thrown in the rubbish, (oops, compost), as refuse, they drew from their adverse circumstance and bloomed where they were planted.

Various shoots growing in the compost!

Listen here reader, whatever is thrown at you, draw lessons from it; lessons of perseverance, faith, strength, patience, and trust. Grow in spite of where you are cast down, whether, physically, socially, emotionally or psychology; regardless of who cast you there, whether family, friend, fraternity or foe. Grow up and out with the assurance that God will transplant you in His perfect timing; if He deems it necessary.

Stunned by the sight, I paused over the rake and looked ahead, only to notice another unexpected sight; a tall sturdy tree growing proudly just outside the window. What tree was that? Where had it come from? I had no recollection of it being planted.

Cast aside; yet sprung up!

On enquiry, (after being told that I needed to slow down and walk in my backyard a little more; that I needed to learn to stop and smell the roses – but that will be the subject of another blog), I found out that it was possible that an ackee had been cast aside, whether by human or animal, and grown where it had been carelessly deposited.  The strong sturdy tree not only provided fruit, but also a home for various birds.  Nests were nestled in the limbs and leaves.  As a result, beautiful sounds and songs were heard all through the day, but more pronounced on early mornings.  Additionally, the lovely sight of various birds engaged in their daily activity served as a picturesque reminder of God’s care as outlined in Matthew 6:26 & 27 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?  Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his ^[stature? (but that also, will be the subject of another blog),  Although cast aside, the seed had fulfilled its noble purpose.

Look at the birds

Let’s juxtapose these two sights that came at me one after the other. The shoots in the compost had grown, regardless of their circumstances, but they had more growing to do.  At some point they may or may not need to be transplanted from their situation to continue to survive. This is not the end of their story.

Shoots need to be transplanted to survive?

The ackee tree had also grown, regardless of its circumstance. It had sent its roots down deep.  It had been content enough to #ThriveInAdversity (Philippians 4:11), and #DefyTheOdds stacked up against it!  

Thrive despite adversity

Who can know the mind of God?  (Romans 11:34).  Dear reader, whoever you are, whatever you are going through, wherever you are cast down or thrown, you too can bloom where you are planted.

 Look out for Part II of this series entitled “Roots in a Rock?”

 

Until then, be blessed!  God’s got you!

Petra Pierre - Robertson 

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