Alaskan summers are beautiful! The bright sunshine brings warmth, healing, and hope! The rivers teem with fish; the moose are out with their babies; people get out to enjoy the outdoors. One of my favorite parts of the summer here is the colorful flowers that grow along the roadsides and in the fields. The Nootka Lupine, a cousin of the Texas bluebonnet, is one of my favorites , but this year, the fireweed flowers have meant a lot to me.
These unique flowers bloom from the bottom to the top. As the summer moves forward, the blooms reach higher and higher up the stem until there are only a couple of blooms left at the very top. It is fascinating to watch the development and growth of these flowers; unfortunately, however, the closer the blooms get to the top, the nearer the end of summer. I have been loving the color they add to the landscape all around our area, but I have also been trying not to look too hard, trying not to notice how close they have gotten to the very top just over the last couple of weeks. While enjoying the fireweed this summer, though, two things have come to my mind and heart.
First, my journey is a lot like these flowers, especially as a military wife. You see, I have a very short time in one place. So far, it has been about 2-3 years between each move. I, like the fireweed, have a limited amount of time in which to make a difference. As a believer, I need to make the most of my time, blooming as brilliantly and brightly as I can for as long as God has placed me in this place. It is so easy to begin to unplug, to disconnect, or to begin pulling up roots when I know that I have a limited amount of time left in a particular place, but I believe that God wants me to bloom all the way to the top! When He moves me to a new location, the journey will then begin again. I will be given a new season in which to begin blooming. In the same way, though, my whole life is like this…I do not know when my time here will be finished. I must strive to bloom and grow daily, sharing His love with those around me.
Second, the fireweed perfectly illustrates Isaiah 40:8, “The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the word of our God remains forever.” Although I have watched with awe at their beauty, I have also watched with a bit of sadness as the fireweed have approached the tops of their stems. It gives me great peace to know that God’s Word, though, is not like the flowers of the field. His Word is forever. While I wait and watch for the fireweed to bring color and beauty for a season in Alaska, I can know with confidence that God’s Word will bring truth, hope, forgiveness, mercy, justice, love, salvation, and faithfulness forever!
Praise God that once again He uses what is right before my eyes to teach, to remind, and to encourage me in His love and plan for my life!
Choosing Life 
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