Planting the seed
Tending the soil
Every day
Not missing one.
Sun shining
Rays of hope
Eyes see nothing
Expectancy continues
Crying my tears
Watering the soil
Watching, waiting,
Persevering, persisting
Not giving up
Holding on by faith
Though nothing appears
To others seems bleak
Beneath deep roots grow
Creating structure
Building strength
Preparing the ground
Then all of a sudden
Before my very eyes
Ground breaks
New life appears
Rapidly
Swiftly
Spreading
Up, up, up it grows
Do you know much about the Bamboo tree? I just heard about it’s growing process yesterday and was so inspired by it.
Once planted, it takes five years for a Bamboo tree to sprout from the ground and give evidence of life. For those five silent years, it seems as if nothing is happening. It must be watered daily in order to see growth. If a day is missed, it will not grow. Once it grows though, it does so at a rapid rate. The Moso Bamboo tree grows about 3 feet over 24 hours, reaching 90 feet in six weeks ( the size of a 9 story office building). During these seemingly fruitless years, the Bamboo tree is developing the required roots and the strength to support the height and width of it’s explosive growth (Information taken from here).
I can look at this story for a number of different things in my life and be encouraged by it. Yesterday though, it encouraged me concerning life purpose and work. As a Christian, I believe that my life means so much more than just the cycle it goes through biologically – birth, growth, reproduction, death. It’s much more than just physical and existing within the measure of time and space.
I sense that I have been going through a time of waiting. I’ve been planted, watered and have been growing strong roots that run deep, in preparation for whatever is next. Without this time of preparation, I would not be able to handle all that God has for me.
How about you? Can you relate the story of the Bamboo tree to your life at all? Have you been longing to see fruit in some area? Have you persisted and persevered in order to see growth in your life? If so, how?
stacilys.wordpress.com 
Love this. ♡
Thank you so much Laurie. I’m actually going to spend the next few weeks thinking more on the Bamboo tree, and extracting the lessons I can out of it.
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Wonderful. It really touched my heart. ♡♡♡
It is encouraging to know that the season of preparation and waiting isn’t wasted. I like the bamboo tree analogy! While waiting for many things to come together for me, I just put one leg in front of the other, and walk 🙂
That’s great Timi. “I just put one leg in front of the other, and walk”.
I’m all for living in today, and not getting too caught up in worrying about the future.
It’s very comforting to know that all the waiting and preparation isn’t waisted. God does amazing things during these sometimes dark and isolated times.
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I never knew that about the bamboo tree. Laying the foundation for anything requires patience. It’s like raising children. We try to instill our values in them, but we don’t really know until they reach adulthood if our lessons had taken root. Wonderful post, Staci!
Thanks Rob. Actually, last night I was thinking about you when considering this. Being that you have such a green thumb.
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I’m honored! 🙂 My chickens are the benefactors of my green thumb(s) this year. They’re eating all of the tomatoes that are falling to the ground.
That’s like my in-laws dog. He tries to eat the mangoes that fall from their mango tree before they get to them.
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I can only dream of fresh mangoes in my yard! I have to settle for grapes, rasberries peaches and cherries.
I’m sooooo jealous. I like mangoes, but I would gladly exchange them for the raspberries and cherries.
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My friend, we are two of the same. 🙂 I’ll trade you rasberries and cherries for mangoes and acai. Deal?
Hahahahaha. Açaí is a super mega powefood. But oh so caloric. I can go down the street and buy the pulp to make a juice.
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Oh yes – it’s a deal.
Excellent! I have a Ranier Cherry Tree, which I believe is from your old neck of the woods, the Pacific Northwest. I have a red cherry tree as well, but the birds usually grab those. The rasberries are everywhere here, almost invasive.
I needed that reminder to persist in faith. Thanks Staci.
You’re welcome David. I’m going to meditate more on this actually. It really impacted me.
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this post is inspiring…I did not know that much about the bamboo tree, thank you for sharing 🙂 ❤
Oh you’re so welcome Neha. I’m so glad it inspired you. I only first heard of the Bamboo tree’s growing process this past Sunday. It really impacted me.
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I like that poem very very much!!! 🙂
Oh Trini, you are so kind. Thank you for sharing your appreciation.
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You are kind!! 🙂 and that poem was so empowering! 🙂
Ohhhh, thank you so much Trini. You bless me.
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🙂 ❤ 🙂 ❤
Thank you for this amazing reminder, Staci. ♡♡ I needed your words today.
Oh I’m so glad they met you where you’re at Audrey. I know that when I hear about the Bamboo tree on Sunday, it gave me great encouragement.
Btw, where have you been? You disappeared it seems. Is it because school has started up again?
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I’ve posted a little something that explains…ugh. 😦 Rising throught it…its been a rough few days. Hate when I allow negativity into my thoughts. I woke today with a little more clarity, so I’m hopeful that I’ll be back to myself soon. Thank you for noticing my absence. ..♡♡
A good reminder that things happen in the fullness of time and design. Another thought provoking post from you, one I’ll long remember.
Thank you so much Kate.
“things happen in the fullness of time and design.”
–Sooooo true. Something that our modern world has a difficult time accepting I think. Waiting isn’t easy eh.
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Great thoughts and nice observation. Yes, it seems the bamboo was garnering strength to grow up fast those five years. In my professional life I go through a similar process: working in the background for sometime and slowly build up a closely knit group of customers. Keep inspiring!
Hi Manuchettan
Thank you so much for sharing a little bit of your own experience. I love the growing process of the Bamboo tree.
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Thank you for reminding us of the questions we need to ask ourselves! x
You’re so welcome. And thank you for your appreciation and comment.
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Another great post, Staci ❤
I feel like everything I've been through the last twenty years or so has helped me grow the roots that will strengthen me and allow me to flourish now and in the future. Perhaps I needed those hard times to build my strength and sustain me through this transitional period.
Wonderful Heather. Thank you so much for sharing a little about yourself and your thoughts. May you truly flourish and grow into a tall Bamboo tree, my friend.
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Thanks Staci ❤
what a lovely, stirring piece
Thank you so much Psychologist Mimi. I’m so glad you liked it.
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Thanks, Staci, for sharing this! It’s a great story and my life has been like tat too. Hugs, N 🙂
Your welcome Natalie. I’m glad you liked it.
Hugs to you.
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Yes, indeed Bamboo tree is a wonderful metaphor of our life and living. Life is not about the physical growth and the matters only, it is beyond the manifestation of these matters. Yes, the five year a Bamboo tree seed remains inside the earth before it sprouts out. We also grow in the time of waiting and our thoughts are seeded and it sprouts and grows into new ideas and ideas change our life forever. We are such an integral part of nature and we our life is mirror reflection of what and how things happens in nature and by being disconnected and keeping a distance with nature we are making ourselves more mechanical and not able appreciate the time to think, muse, reflect and keep observing and absorbing so many facets of life in silence and in isolation.
Lovely way of comparing life and nature…
More to discuss on nature as we go ahead…
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Hi Nihar, I’m so glad you could relate. I find it interesting how you mentioned that, as we stay distanced from nature, we make ourselves more mechanical. I never thought of it that way, but that’s a great point. It’s so true that we have gotten so caught up in the mechanical/industrial, that we lose sight of what really matters. The simple things in life. The beauty of nature. The companionship of friends and family. The tranquility of just taking in the beauty of creation.
I do really love the analogy made by the bamboo tree. When I first of it, I could really relate.
Thanks Nihar.
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Yes, Staci we live in a complex world and make our living complicated by moving away from nature…indeed the beauty is in its simplicity and the bounty of nature…we need to nurture it and cherish the beauty of creation.
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There’s this one singer/songwriter, Steve Bell. He wrote a song once called, ‘Why do we hunger for beauty?’ And that’s just it. We all hunger for beauty, and the most beautiful things are found in nature. I think we hunger for it, because we don’t take that time to drink it in. What do you think?
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O! this is a lovely song…indeed so true. We all run for something which is next door…the garden, the park, the forest but we don’t release the beauty and bounty of nature. Nothing can be more profound and provide solace in life than being in the basking glory of nature, get nurtured within and making us touch our senses of soul. The soul searching is the salvation and it takes ground in the heart of nature’s beauty…
Just magical…
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Yes, magical. Maybe we would have less cases of stress and anxiety if more people would take a break and get out into nature.
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Nature and Nurturing should be our motto of life…world would definitely be a better place to live.
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Hi Staci, yes it is a lovely post. Thanks for letting me know about it. Nature is always teaching us. For everything there is a right moment, we need to be patient and ready for it. 🙂
Well said Elizabeth.
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Oh, and thank you so much.
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I’ve just watched your video again, love it!