One

You know you’re an adult when water cooler conversation at the office revolves around the landscaping at your home.  Not even just at the office.  I regularly talk with my bestie about ways to eliminate weeds in my flower bed.  We debate about whether we’ll use mulch or switch over to stone.  We dream of our ideal flower beds out loud.

Just the other day, I overheard my co-worker saying that they were trying to get rid of bamboo that the previous owners of the home had planted.  She said bamboo is almost impossible to eliminate because it has such a strong root system.  I hadn’t ever thought about the life cycle of bamboo, so I had to dig a little deeper.

Per Google research, bamboo is a curious grass.  Once a bamboo seed is planted, it must be watered daily. You really have to be committed because it can take up to three to five years before it’s ready for growth.  Interestingly, once bamboo starts to grow, it takes off.  Some species can grow three feet in one day!  (Side note:  I wonder if they have growing pains.  LOL!)

If I was a pastor or preacher, I’d tell you to keep being faithful because in due season, you shall reap a harvest.  I’m not either of those, so you’re safe.  I’m more interested in what makes them so hard to eliminate. 

They’ve been constantly watered.  The first year is just one sprout.  The next year another sprout emerges.  More watering occurs.  Until they have a strong network of sprouts.  Once the sprouts have all intertwined with each other underground, it’s hard to kill them.

I also researched ways to prevent bamboo from getting out of control.  All the methods mention cutting them off from other bamboo sprouts.  If you kill their connection, you can contain their growth.  They have strength in community.

Y’all this was confirmation for me that I was created to exist in community.  Christians are easier to kill when they’re not connected to other believers.  God continues to show me that my personality may be that of an introvert, but my healing, wholeness, and strength will be found in connecting with others.

I’ve experienced that with my BSG’s, YAB’s, Sunday school class, and my sisters from the Haven Retreat.  To further hammer the point in, my pastor gave our church our theme for 2020.  Y’all ready???  The theme is “One.”  We are one body in Christ, and we CANNOT do life alone.  I told ya’ll I’m hard-headed and rebellious, but this message is consistently coming to me.  Let’s do life together so that we’ll be harder to kill.  #wepreach