Eons ago when we were dating, Clint mentioned how much he liked bonsai trees and often commented that he'd like to grow one. Once we were married, I purchased him a book on how to grow his own, but he never took the time to start one.
We looked for one to purchase back then, but the prices were higher than a novice gardener would want to risk. The cheapest we could find in a nursery to purchase were over $200 and the nice ones were over $500. The internet sure has changed things!
This year, I stumbled across one on Amazon. It had a pond (for humidity) with a little man fishing under the tree. The price was very reasonable, so I bought it for my one and only as part of his Father's Day gifts. However, when it arrived, it was missing the fisherman!
Clint was delighted with it as it was! He was so happy to have the bonsai for his office. He could not stop talking about it and told our children how he had always admired them and wanted one of his own. I was quite upset because there were two bonsais in the same type of planter one with and one without the fisherman. I had paid more to get the little fisherman and triple checked to make sure I ordered the right one. Clint said not to worry about it, he'd call Amazon and have them make it right.
Clint thought they'd give us the difference in the price, but instead, they refunded the entire bonsai! Yes, he got his first bonsai for free! I suggested he take the money and purchase himself another bonsai for his desk. That boy's eyes lit up! Clint carefully perused over the choices for a long while before he settled on the ficus bonsai which he felt would do the best in his office.
So, now the man I love has two bonsais and the Groot planter (seen here, but not pictured above) under grow lights on his desk. His co-workers have raved over the bonsais and asked where we got them. They plan to purchase their own for their desks and home. I don't mind the missing fisherman since Clint is so delighted in having both trees!
Dear Reader, Life is full of disappointments. We fail people, and they fail us. Barriers are created. Jobs end. Loved ones die. Life takes turns we didn't anticipate. If we belong to the Lord, all of these things we have lost will be made right. In fact, if we have an eternal perspective, we know God works things out better than we can hope! There is a purpose to all we are going through. Our job in this life is to first remember He controls all and to surrender to His will for us. In relationships we need to pour out His love on each other while we continue to work together with forgiveness and bearing with one another's faults as well as we do their strengths. It is by love and unity we overcome the hurts and disappointments in life. The stronger the love, the easier to get over the worst of offenses. You can see this kind of love very clearly displayed in the Christians who have forgiven and embraced those who killed a loved one. One such story is in the true story contained in the book Through the Gates of Splendor which I highly recommend. I also recommend reading Elizabeth Elliot's other books for the spiritual truths hidden within.
