Beautiful roses, right? That wasn’t so several short months ago. Gardeners advised us to get rid of it and plant another in its place.

This one was an anniversary gift from my husband and had given us many beautiful blooms. But the desert heat had taken its toll and it was embarrassing to have near the front door. Dead, ugly stems and leaves. No roses or buds. Thorns looking more pronounced than ever. We pruned off the worst-looking part and it still looked pitiful.

Gardening teaches me a lot about life. But unlike the Master Gardener of my life, the One who placed humans in that first garden, I was ready to give up on the roses. Life got busy and I just didn’t get it done. October brought a record rainfall. Water that’s like no other for the soil. And then one day a new bud showed up. The leaves around it still looked bad, but new life was coming through. A few weeks later, I took this picture, remembering the advice from the gardeners.  Happy I didn’t give up.

Sometimes life is like this. Ugly. Embarrassing. Dry. The heat of our world takes a toll and we have a hard time blooming. Pruning is painful. Failure overwhelms us. We dread the future. Think we’ve had all the manure (I’m a farm girl) we can take. Wish we could start over.

There’s One who gives us a second chance, never gives up on us. He prunes and waters, knowing we’ll bloom again. He’s not afraid of our pain. He sees beyond the ugly and embarrassing, knowing He’s created us for beauty.

He somehow uses the messes, (even if we’ve made them), to bring new growth. That’s called grace. His love will always bring us to the possibility of redemptive ways. A chance to bloom from His life-giving water. He brings new life from those tough times. With a fragrance that’s better than ever.

The One who created us isn’t giving up on us. Never will. He’s the God of 2nd chances, new beginnings. That’s what I’m thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving!