The Power of a Flower

My roses are blooming in droves. So much so, that the climbing rose bush along my side fence has become too heavy for the trellis that it has been attached to. It became dislodged in a recent storm, and now boughs bow towards the ground. Every time I look out my kitchen window I see it bobbing there, ladened with beautiful thick peachy cream roses. Ive been putting off  the repair though, because of another set of flowers...wattle trees flowers. 
When we built our place some seven years ago, we built against the edge of a small michal (a little stream). The council in their wisdom pathed a walkway between the michal and our property, where people frequently  take their daily walks. The owner of the land the michal runs on,  arranged for the planting of many native trees and shrubs along side of the pathway and against our fence.  At the time, I took little notice simply appreciating the thought that one day we'd have some lovely trees beside our fence line, giving extra privacy and adding to the beauty of the area. All for free. One of the predominant trees that were planted, were wattle trees. Unfortunately, it took the unpleasant experience of the first full bloom, to realise I have an allergy to wattle... not all wattle as I have two small wattle bushes in my front yard that flower earlier in the year , that smell great and cause no worry at all. But these large six metre high trees are different. I am surrounded by over thirty trees within 500m of my house. The little michal runs right through this windy avenue of wattle trees that shed wattle flowers whenever the wind blows. A blanket of golden flowers cover everything in our vacinty. I am almost housebound from September to November.
After three seasons of pretty awful allergic rhinitis and conjuntivitis using every available antihistamine, I went to my Dr to ask for allergy desensitisation... but I was also early into my latest pregnancy. I was told Id have to wait until I finished pregnancy & breastfeeding. So here I am, in the fifth year of allergies, managing just, by avoiding the flowers that smell delightful and waft through my house every time a window or door is open. Just the simple act of hanging out the washing, or walking to the car causes burning in the eyes, sneezes, runny nose and agony.  SOooooo my roses have to wait to be reestablished until the wattle bloom is over.  The power of the flower.

Waiting is hard . Life brings us many seasons of waiting. I had to wait till I completed my uni degree, before I could get a job as a nurse. For years I had to wait for a husband. I remember begging God to find me 'my man'.  If someone had told me he lived in Melbourne, and I would literally leave everything I  knew to follow him, I probably wouldn't have believed them. I had years of waiting to find out if I'd be able to have kids, suffering from two  conditions that increased infertility. If someone had told me Id have be pregnant four times in 8 years, I wouldnt have believed them either.  Ive just completed four long years of a masters degree in health science education, studying through distance ed at the university of Sydney, whilst raising a family, having a baby, and holding down a job.  If someone had said, 'youll thrive on self directed learning and manage to get high distinctions in your course', I would have said they were crazy. Ive spent a lot of time waiting in my life yet Ive seen the answer to many prayers, and the fulfilment of many dreams. I am learning that waiting is apart of the journey. In fact its the largest part of the journey and the best part of the journey. Currently I am waiting to see how God wants to use my midwifery skills and education in the area of missions.  I am waiting for words and direction, for clarity and a place, for children to grow to a suitable age, for opportunity to travel, for finance and all that needs to be in place before a mission can be established. Excited, I dont hate the waiting. I am almost enjoying it.  I can't wait, and I can. Waiting is a good thing. And so, the roses can wait til the wattle blooms are over, and I can wait til it's the right time. Because the right time is the best time  and its worth the wait.