My husbands Christmas Cactus!
Doug's Christmas cactus is still blooming with wonderful vibrant blooms. Beyond the doors of our Florida room is lots of snow and ice. However, the cactus has found shelter in our home. God shelters each of us, just as Doug and I have sheltered this cactus.
My husband received this cactus 40 years ago from his first wife's aunt. At the time he received the cactus it was over 30 years old. The beautiful cactus has aged well. She is over 70 years old.
My husband loves this plant. He eagerly awaits her blooms each year. He protects her. He watches out for her best interest. Just as Doug protects this plant, our Heavenly Father protects each of us. Abba Father lovingly watches each of us bloom and protects us from harm as we grow.
"Let me take refuge in the shelter of Thy wings." Psalms 61:4b NAS
In the grip of HIS grace,
Andrea
52 comments:
A 70 year old Christmas cactus?! I need Doug to share his green thumb secrets! I've killed one of my Christmas cacti and noticed this week that the other one is looking like it's on its way out. Help!!!
I doubt I water it too much! My plants are usually drooping before I remember to water them!!! Due to my black thumb, my boys are amazed that I've managed to keep them alive!!
Hello, sweet Andrea~
How wonderful to know that we have a Heavenly Father who loves us and wants to shelter us from harm. I can so feel His arms wrapped around me!
Blessings~
Laura
Andrea, that is so wonderful! 70 years old, wow. I won't tell him about mine, er ,the one I used to have.....sorry....I don't know how to grow plants. I wish I knew!
You words are so comforting though!
Hugs,
Margaret B
That is AMAZING!!! What a beautiful gift they both have to keep it alive and thriving so long. I can't believe it's over 70 years old.
Beautiful post.
70 yrs.old? That is so awesome! And it looks great with its blooms, too! But I love the analogy you had with our heavenly Father taking care of us, loving us, protecting us. God bless sister. May the Lord sustain you with His strength and protect you and your family at all times.
What a beautiful Christmas cactus, and what a great analogy!I am so thankful for God's protection.
I love the way you write, Andrea. Your blog is a blessing to me. :-)
That is amazing. Wow! I have an aloe vera plant that I brought from my MIL when I moved to California 21 years ago.
Once again, you provided me with something so beautiful as a Christmas Cactus, but in that , you have given me much to think about in our longevity as part of God's creation. Just as this cactus lives on over many decades, Christ lives on, even longer.. And He is just as beautiful as this beloved cactus that your own husband loves so much. awesome!!
Andrea, that is wonderful. I had one at one time, but could not make it live. I would take it to my mother-in-law, she would get it to blooming, give it back to me and it would almost die again. Then I would take it back to her. This went on and on! ha! I do have an ivy that my brother gave me 37 years ago,when my eldest son was born and it is still alive...
Wow! It's hard for me to comprehend a house plant that old! And a neat analogy of God's love and care for us.
Dearest Andrea,
Love you my friend! My daughter has a Christmas cactus...I can't wait to tell her how old your husband's is. Hers has bloomed as well and is so beautiful.
Big Hugs,
Alleluiabelle
What a wonderful object lesson!
Beautiful plant, beautiful thought!
Your eyes are open to see God in everything thing, Andrea. Thanks for sharing.
God bless Doug for having a gentle heart.
beautiful flowers! beautiful words!
treasuring your mighty prayers,
lisa xoxo
Oooo...awesome! I have a plant that I got in 1975 when I went to college and I thought IT was old! I like the analogy to how God cares for us. Thanks!
Very awesome.
ooohhh. I love this post...what a great analogy of God's love. And how gentle Doug must be to have that plant still look so beautiful....
He's had it that long?? Wow! And I too love your analogy about how God is still watching out for us too. He doesn't forget.
Wow. This reminds me of Psalm 91 that says, "With long life will I satisfy him who sets his love on Me."
Thanks for this poignant truth. And tell Doug thanks, too.
Your Christmas cactus looks very much like ours which was given to us by my husband's dad many years ago. I've made clippings over the years and rooted them and given them to family members in the hopes of sharing the heirloom plant.
What a blessing to watch over something that 'faithfully' blooms where it's planted. Oh that we'd do the same as our Father watches over us.
Oh, how beautiful and awesome is that?!?!? It just reaffirms that we serve such a perfect God who takes the time to share His beautiful works/creations with us in all forms of life.
Amen.
*The plant is beautiful!*
Shelter in our Father's arms that's comforting.
I love your Christmas cactus. I have my mother's cactus and I believe it is pretty old too. It's in bloom right now and I always think of my mom...sweet memories.
These are such incredible plants. Whenever I see them, I'm reminded of my Grandma. She had a huge one, that had blooms the same color as this one.
That's an unusual looking cactus.
Very soothing message. Blessings to you and yours.
BM
I just got my first Christmas cactus this year from a friend. I was very excited! The blooms that were on it have dropped, but there are new ones forming already.
What a wonderful story - a 70 year old cactus! And the analogy is rich and wonderful. Truly God is a refuge and strength. Protector, Defender, Love of my soul.
This is amazing...I love it! I've always had a Christmas cactus. When we left the UK I gave mine to my next door neighbor. She tells me it's alive and well which I'm happy to hear. Beautiful analogy!
ps-thanks for the award!
Awesome! I, too, have a Christmas cactus of the same variety. It is known to be over forty years old. It suffered a crisis when caretaker overwatered, but it is now on the way to recovery.
God, in caring for us, gives us just enough-- lest we shrivel and droop.
Beautiful post, Andrea!
Your words encourage and speak to my heart!
Love and Sweet Blessings!
Jackie
That is so cool! Someone gave us a Christmas cactus when we were first married. We used it for our first Christmas "tree" with tiny little ornaments all over it. I almost killed it, so my MIL took it off my hands and it is flourishing under her care.
Great post! Liked your last one, too.
WOW, 70 years old...I thought I was doing good with a five year old one! Your lucky to have this plant and I would be watching it all day to make sure it stays safe!
xxoo
Deborah
I love this kind of Cactus, they are so beautiful and graceful. Wow, a 70 year old heirloom, I would be just like your DH, very protective of it.
What a beautiful application of God's love for us.
((((hugs)))
Katia
Enjoyed your post and loved the photo of the christmas cactus... by the way... I have trouble getting mine to bloom... Whats the secret? lol
Thanks for always stopping by with your positive words and comments! I really enjoy them :-)
Wow! It has aged well! Praise the Lord for His loving shelter in my life!
Amy
Mines just coming out with blooms too. :)
I never knew a houseplant lived that long! That is amazing! And what a wonderful post to go along with it. God does watch over and protect us so that we can grow old in health and continue to bloom when we are in our old age as well. Beautiful thought!
That is the coolest thing I have read all day! It is beautiful!!!
That has to be a record breaking potted plant!!! It's beautiful too.
I have one too. :) I too care and protect it. Wow, this one you guys have is growing up with you.
Wow andrea, that is an amazing plant. Beautiful.
It is wonderful to think about the shelter the Lord provides. Tom and I know the excitement you and Doug feel when the Christmas cactus blooms. We don't have any blooms presently. But we love it and display it in our living room.
What a beautiful story!
God bless!
How amazing to have kept a plant that long and see it thriving! How much more amazing to see what God does in our lives...and keeps us thriving!!! Thanks for the award, I will post on it soon
Wow! That is really something! Just think how He shelters us. It gives me chills.
Thank you for the sweet award! Give Sitka a kiss for me!
Thats amazing! I didnt know about these. Very cool!
This is amazing! and what a wonderful comforting thought!
Tell Sitka thankyou for the sweet award, I'll share it on the weekend comments!
Have a blessed and loving weekend!
Debra
That is amazing. I could try but I am definately set up to fail at trying to keep any thing that long. lol. Wow, How great our God is! :)
To Sitka, I thank you again dear one for the beautiful award. Hooray! :) have a wonderful weekend my friend!
hello andrea! i'm happy to meet you! yoiur blog is very nice and interesting to read. let mefind your followers botton so i will always be updated about your new posts!
you know that my grandma has the same christmas cactus! it's always blooming for christmas and for us it's forbiden to touch the flowers!
wish you a sweet day and hope to hear from you soon!
justyna
Hi,
that was really a beatiful cactus, your housband where rightabout that.
//Camilla
Andrea:
I have never heard of a Christmas Cactus lasting this long.
Thanks for the picture, it's beautiful.
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