My Christmas Cactus

When I was Pastor of Lexington's Trinity Baptist Church, I had a Christmas cactus in my office. It sat on top of the bookcase where it would get the morning sunlight. Prior to Christmas it was in a pitful state of health or so it seemed to me. It was limp. The leaves were browning. I didn't know whether to water it or leave it dry. I received advise to do both. I wondered about moving it since that office got cold at night. Again, I received advise to move it and, also, to leave it alone. It seemed to be in a terrible shape and I didn't know what to do. After Christmas I arrived at the office and discovered the Christmas cactus had bloomed. There were pretty red blooms at the end of many branches. Needless to say, I was surprised. One of the lessons from my Christmas cactus is that sometimes things aren't nearly as bad and hopeless as may appear. Life's best bloosoms, flowers and lessons may break open just when we are about to give in to our sense of confusion and hopelessness. Galatians 6:9 says, "And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap is we do not grow weary." Good lesson.