The Marriage Garden . . . Bloom Where You Are Planted

Image source: Carla Coulson

Blooming?

The first time I saw the words, “Bloom Where You Are Planted,” was on a plaque that was hanging in my sister’s kitchen in a small town in Arizona. As I pondered those words, I was deeply concerned about how my sister would ever be able to bloom in that little rural area she now called home. I knew she was definitely not a “country girl,” as our family had always lived in the city. But she faithfully followed her husband, who was passionate about returning to his roots, so he could be a lawyer in the hometown where he’d grown up. To my surprise, my sister flourished in this small town and used her independent spirit and intelligence as she blessed the lives of her family as she and her husband raised eight beautiful, talented children. She was also an influence for good throughout her whole community while she continued to bloom!

My life took a different course. I was sure I didn’t ever want to live in a rural environment, but after thirty-seven years of living in many different cities throughout the United States as I followed my husband in his business career, we returned to live on a small ranch near the town where my husband was born—Cody, Wyoming—and I loved it! I always thought I was a city girl, and I will always treasure the cities where I’ve lived, but now I feel I am finally “home.” I’m now blooming in more new and different ways than I ever imagined.
 

Country Boy

What I’ve enjoyed the most while living here has been watching how my husband has also bloomed. I always knew he was a “country boy,” as he was raised on a farm/ranch and loved horses and cattle. He put all that aside when he went into the business world, which took us into many big cities. But now he loved being back where he could wear his cowboy boots and cowboy hat every day as he combined business and pleasure in a way that we never thought would be possible.

As we contemplated our possible move back to Cody, we were concerned how each of our eleven children would react. We had raised them in the city, and Cody was far away from where they were all living, except for our two youngest children who moved here with us. But the feeling I had was that if our children were to ever to really get to know their father, they needed to see him in his native environment, which he’d always cherished. Fortunately, our children and grandchildren loved coming to visit us here to ride horses, drive the little tractor, and enjoy the wide-open spaces. It’s been great for our family to return to my husband’s roots!
 

Our Marriage Garden

Our marriage garden has blossomed throughout the years as we’ve tried to be united as a couple and make the best decisions we could for our family. Looking back, we can now see that the hand of the Lord was definitely guiding all the paths we have taken. What I’ve learned about life is that the most important decision is deciding to “bloom where you are planted” no matter where you might find yourself. As marriage partners, there is a responsibility to help each other “bloom” as you journey through life. Through prayer, you can know where to put down roots and let your garden grow and flourish. If God wants you to change your location, He will let you know one way or another. Trust God. Trust each other. Bloom where you are planted!