Expectations

There is a fine line between optimism and unrealistic expectations and it might be time to have a come to Jesus with my orange tree. This year he really bit off more than he can chew. What is he thinking anyway, with all these blossoms? Surely he recalls I always forget to water him in the hottest months of summer? Isn’t it hard enough to be an orange tree in a patio pot, in Texas? Come on now? He doesn’t really think he can follow through with this outrageous number of oranges does he? Last year he had maybe 20 blossoms and 4 oranges, so I’m not sure what to think of this change of heart.

Yesterday, like the orange tree last year, I was too tired to do anything but the minimum, so rolled out of bed threw on clothes as close to pajamas as I could get, barely ran a brush through my hair, then whined all the way to work, then again all the way home.

I’ve been staring at the orange tree off and on for a few days now and scratching my head. Shoot for the moon and land on a star I guess. So maybe 10 oranges come out of the 500 blossoms on this tiny tree. I guess thats 6 more than last year, so I suppose he’s onto something.

I woke up this morning and painted my stubby fingernails in a burst of optimism myself. Why today, with no evidence to believe its going to be any easier than yesterday? In fact you look at my work schedule comparatively, its quite the contrary. But today I woke up, with a new heart, exercised a bit, put a little extra time on my hair and clothes, and sat down to write before work, because the orange tree reminded me, you get out of your day what you put in.

Thank you Lord for the small things, the lessons you’ve taught me in the garden, and this unrealistic little orange tree.