Life - Death - Life - The Story of the Clematis Brothers

The area of our yard is not good. It is tucked in an awkward corner. The ground is more sandy than the rest of the yard with little top soil to make a good garden area. The soil is right up against the foundation of the house. When this part of our house was added years ago it was built and then the back fill was added – not the best fill for sure. Whoever did the job was interested in construction of a house and not gardening.

A few years back my wife bought two small plants – two Clematis actually. Together we watered and nurtured these struggling little guys. Each time I mowed the grass I had to be careful that the lawnmower didn’t whack off the small branches. We installed a plastic apparatus behind it to let the vine crawl up the wall which it did easily. The Clematis is a climbing vine. For two years the root base of the vine matured and last year it became very mature from what we could see – and it out did the cheap plastic thing and bent it to the ground.

Last fall, against my best judgment, Alida whacked the vine down entirely and it became nothing. This was not a pruning but rather murder! How could anything ever come out of this complete destruction of the two little brothers on the back wall of the house.

In faith, she had me build a new trellis for the two vines to climb on. It looked pretty funny actually. I built this trellis that is ten feet high and eight feet wide. The shoots from the ground that began in the springtime could hardly reach the lowest bar of the trellis.

“Oh yee of little faith…” is the best comment to describe me as a gardener…! Today the two Clematis Brothers are entwined and shooting sky ward at a rapid pace. From the photos you can see the strength – one side has now reached the top of ten feet. The other is close behind. They also are almost to the eight foot wide mark with some trellis still available for more vine – but not much.

And the colour is even more vibrant as the flowers have more room to spread out. Last years this had been a mish mash of flowers that pressed for the freedom to be seen. The vine was bent over and fell to the ground. Kind of like a movie stars on the red carpet.

So much like life…
In the world that I am struggling with I see tragedies of all sorts. Lives and marriages cut to the lowest points. In fact sometimes they are cut off completely. I often scratch my head and wonder how anything can come from the disaster that is unfolding in front of me. “Oh yee of little faith…” happens again. I cannot figure my way out of what is happening in front of me. How can anything good come from this horror?

Yesterday someone called to inform me that one of my former assistant pastors, that served with me, had died suddenly. He was in his late 40s. His marriage had split up and his wife was living far away. The death may not have been natural – they are doing the autopsy as I write to determine what did take place. My heart sank as I heard the news.

It was not that long ago that their marriage had broken to pieces and she had moved far away. He was left alone with no one. There was no ministry for people like this man – how does he ever counsel someone else when his own life is such a mess?

He died alone far away from anyone that loved him.

I spoke with his wife last night. She relayed how a miracle has taken place for both of their kids. They are completing college and are doing well. Both have a great future up ahead. Both are a lot like their dad with good abilities to do great things in helping people that hurt. It could be that both of her kids might complete their studies to become ministers like their dad was. As this pastor’s wife spoke she was happy that her kids were advancing the way that they were.

The family had been cut down and almost destroyed. Today – even in the face of great obstacles they are okay and blossoming again. A lot like the Clematis as it takes over the new space provided for it.

But it doesn’t stop. Today we are in court with another sad family that is in crisis. I have no idea what will come from this one. It seems that things could not get darker and more impossible.

Yet I remember the Clematis. It was cut down but the roots were still there. What was happening below the ground was far more important than what I could see above the ground.

Please think of two families that I am working with today. If you are a person that prays – please slip one of more in for these people. Something good is going to happen – I am sure of it…. It is just hard to see it right now…

~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~