736AFC090707
HAPPY ALOHA FRIDAY!
I believe this is the blossom of a Night-Blooming Cereus, a kind of cactus. It grows in our front yard. As you can see by the date, it bloomed near the end of July. The flowers last about 3 days, and then it just shrivels up and disappears. I don’t remember ever seeing a fruit or seed pod left behind. Maybe the vector – insect or bird or whatever – that is supposed to pollinate it just doesn’t live on Kauai.
The cactus itself is pretty much a green, lumpy stick about 3 ft high most of the year. Then, if conditions are right for about three days, it sports a spectacular blossom. The blossom is part of God’s plan for procreation of the species, but that doesn’t appear to be happening here. There are lots of things to think about when considering this cactus.
“Bloom where you’re planted” comes to mind. Even if the bloom doesn’t produce much? Well, it certainly is beautiful, and certainly evokes praise to God for creating such beauty, so I guess that’s a kind of unintended fruit. “Bloom in season” is another idea. This cactus doesn’t bloom year round; it just blooms when it can. So do I. How about you? I know we can force amaryllis and jonquil bulbs to blossom, but there’s no forcing this cactus, at least not in its natural state. But is Hawaii its natural state? Not really. Most of the species of this kind of cactus come from Costa Rica and Central America, so this one is a transplanted foreigner – haole – like me. I reckon I could be – probably have been – forced to bloom out of season, but I couldn’t tell you if, when, how, or why that happened. Most flowering plants bloom by day, some open in the morning and close at night for several days. Some bloom just for a day, but have hundreds of flowers. Some follow the sun; you and I also follow a Son. So many things to think about! What are you thinking about as you read this, as you look at this flower?
The more I contemplate this blossom, the more I realize how blessed I am to know it. And that reminds me how blessed I am to know YOU. You would not be receiving these messages if I did not know and love something about the way YOU bloom. God bless you, Beloved! 
Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service…
chick
736AFC090707
HAPPY ALOHA FRIDAY!
I believe this is the blossom of a Night-Blooming Cereus, a kind of cactus. It grows in our front yard. As you can see by the date, it bloomed near the end of July. The flowers last about 3 days, and then it just shrivels up and disappears. I don’t remember ever seeing a fruit or seed pod left behind. Maybe the vector – insect or bird or whatever – that is supposed to pollinate it just doesn’t live on Kauai.
The cactus itself is pretty much a green, lumpy stick about 3 ft high most of the year. Then, if conditions are right for about three days, it sports a spectacular blossom. The blossom is part of God’s plan for procreation of the species, but that doesn’t appear to be happening here. There are lots of things to think about when considering this cactus.
“Bloom where you’re planted” comes to mind. Even if the bloom doesn’t produce much? Well, it certainly is beautiful, and certainly evokes praise to God for creating such beauty, so I guess that’s a kind of unintended fruit. “Bloom in season” is another idea. This cactus doesn’t bloom year round; it just blooms when it can. So do I. How about you? I know we can force amaryllis and jonquil bulbs to blossom, but there’s no forcing this cactus, at least not in its natural state. But is Hawaii its natural state? Not really. Most of the species of this kind of cactus come from Costa Rica and Central America, so this one is a transplanted foreigner – haole – like me. I reckon I could be – probably have been – forced to bloom out of season, but I couldn’t tell you if, when, how, or why that happened. Most flowering plants bloom by day, some open in the morning and close at night for several days. Some bloom just for a day, but have hundreds of flowers. Some follow the sun; you and I also follow a Son. So many things to think about! What are you thinking about as you read this, as you look at this flower?
The more I contemplate this blossom, the more I realize how blessed I am to know it. And that reminds me how blessed I am to know YOU. You would not be receiving these messages if I did not know and love something about the way YOU bloom. God bless you, Beloved!
Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service…
chick
About Chick Todd
American Roman Catholic reared as a "Baptiterian" in Denver Colorado. Now living on Kauaʻi. USAF Vet. Married for over 50 years. Scripture study has been my passion ever since my first "Bible talk" at age 6 in VBS.
