Every Thursday I feature a “throwback” post from my blog archive. The goal is to take a look back and discover new lessons or new opportunities to grow. This week, we’’ll look back at one of my favorite throwback posts, “Mums the Word.” You can view the original post here. For today, here’s a quick recap and a few more thoughts about our surroundings. 

Mums are a pretty common flower that comes in a wide variety of colors. What is fascinating is that color is actually determined by the quality and color of the water in which they are nourished. In as little as 24 hours you can change the color of a mums petals by adding a little dye to their water. 

This is also true of people. The way our lives look can be drastically and rapidly changed by our surroundings. When I wrote this post originally, I felt like I was stagnate. My personal growth had reached a plateau and my attitude about life in general was not at peak levels of joy and fruit. When I learned about the mums and how they were so easily manipulated by their surroundings, I knew I needed to make some changes. 

I began to work on my surroundings from a physical perspective and from a relational one. I cleaned my office, I organized my calendar, I developed systems, and I built new relationships. I also leaned deeper into healthy connections and minimized unhealthy ones. As a result, I noticed a visible change in myself. I began to have more patience and more joy. I had more energy and more life. 

I think we all like to believe we’re in control of our own universes even though we know that external factors play a major part in our development. Where we find nourishment really matters. Just like those mums our lives can be colored drastically and rapidly based on our surroundings. 

Question for reflection: What practical changes do you need to make to your surroundings so that you can grow into the person God has called you to be?