I continue to struggle with my bonsai projects. The early days were, in retrospect, sadly comical. I went in brash and confident that my green thumb would carry the day. I purchased the care and nurture books, however I never took the time to get beyond the skimming phase. The first tree, a twenty-five-year-old Fulkein Tea Tree, lived extremely well for the first two years. Then, with complete surprise on my part, it died. It was two years of conversations for me to grasp what had gone wrong. Sometimes the obvious is never visible.
A wide range of problems has hit recent projects. Bad soil, tainted water, unusually bug or fungus attacks were the more normal. Cat attacks and sunburn struck me as something for which one never quite plan. I seem to be a Dr. Killer when it came to these trees!
The current one appeared to be one of a new breed. A hearty breed that the nursery promised could survive even a child's care was the first step. I even took the bold step of nurturing it outside where it could grow more heartily in the real world. In my confidence, I took my eye off the child. The second day of twenty-four-hour hard frost caught my attention. A quick glance confirmed my worst fears! The plant was a miniature caricature of a frozen giant.
In the days and now weeks since, I have worked on doing all the right things. I have brought it into the safety of the house. I am making sure there is lots of light, as well as protection from the brief winter sun. I have provided water and the right type of environment for recovery and growth. However, while I do see a couple of tentative green leaves, the jury is still out on a full recovery.
I could have avoided this result. It is the same with our journey with God. The answer is there. “Don't lose your grip on Love and Loyalty. Tie them around your neck; carve their initials on your heart.” (Proverbs 3.3)
