Burst into Bloom by Lynn Zuk-Lloyd

"Come, there is much for you to learn."

I take His Hand and we walk under the trees with their new leaves. The fragrance of spring lingers in the air.

"New life…new life comes from old bodies," Jesus says. I look at the old cherry trees with their dark brown bark.

Their bark reminds me of wrinkles – the wrinkles on faces of elderly people and the wrinkles slowly etching themselves onto my skin. Yet, as I look around, there are new blossoms bursting forth in the old orchard.

"What looks dead, comes alive! You only see the outside of the tree. I (Jesus) see and know the inside. You only see the outside of people. I (Jesus) see and know what is inside them."

Jesus pulls down a branch and shows me a bud and the stem it's attached to. "Look at this bud. It’s just a baby. But babies grow. And when they mature, they look nothing like they did when they were babies. They act nothing like they acted when they were babies. Old trees bear fruit – beautiful fruit. Young trees bear fruit, too, but not the way old trees do. Even a tree that hasn’t bloomed in years can surprise you and spring forth into blossoms – beautiful blossoms.

"Spring comes to both the old and the young. The beauty is the same. The fragrance is the same. The difference is the receiver. Some see spring in all its glory and rejoice and praise God. Others ignore the beauty and turn inward, focusing upon their burdens, missing out on the glory all around them.

"Open your eyes. New life is bursting out all around you (even if its fall or winter). Burst into bloom! Let the sweet fragrance of God rest upon you. Rejoice and be glad."

Burst into Bloom was first published in Faith Alive – a publication of Faith Lutheran Church (spring/summer 2002 issue).

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Burst into Bloom Photo

Photograph by Lynn Zuk-Lloyd

Lynn Zuk-Lloyd is a speaker, artist and author who is passionate about encouraging people to breakthrough the barriers that hold them back. Lynn also does nature photography.

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