Remember Lazarus?

Remember Lazarus, the nearly dead spider plantlet I found and rescued last summer? I had noticed while watering that a stem (or “umbilical cord”) from the main plant had somehow dried up so I followed it to its end and found a shriveled gray-green, though more gray than green, plantlet. I planted it in soil and watered it—just in case…This picture shows a slightly improved version of its condition. As it began to revive, I named it Lazarus after the man Jesus raised from the dead after Lazarus was in the grave for four days.


The biblical Lazarus was a marvel everyone wanted to see (John 12:9). The people had seen Jesus raise others and they knew of the prophets Elijah and Elisha having raised people from the dead but those were “immediate” raisings--shortly after the person had died. This one though, was really big since, as the King James Version has Martha, Lazarus’ sister say, “He stinketh”. Not to be too indelicate but Jesus not only raised Lazarus from the dead but he rebuilt and restored that which was being destroyed by decomposition (John 11:39). The Lord’s specialty is rescuing the people he created from destruction. No matter how bad a person’s life “stinketh”, Jesus can clean it up (Hebrews 9:13) and make it new—transform it (Yes, he still literally raises dead people to this very day). He loves doing it because it gives glory to his Father—what motivation (John 14:12-14)!

Lazarus the spider plant, as it is now bears little resemblance to the gray, shriveled plantlet I found and rescued; now that it has life pouring into it again from soil and water—it’s like a new plant!

*You can copy and paste any of these Bible references (or any others) into the search box at http://www.biblegateway.com and the scripture will come up.

Lazarus Update

Lazarus airplane plant is doing remarkably well. It’s once grey-green and shriveled leaves are now a robust green. Though initially larger than its brothers (or should I say sisters since airplane plants have “babies”) it’s not quite as healthy yet. Lazarus’ fully green leaves still droop while the other plants hold their leaves firmly up. I’ll know the plant’s fully recovered when it begins producing new leaves; then it will be moving beyond survival mode.


Was it a stick I saw or a dead leaf? I looked more closely and discovered that a caterpillar had chopped off a third of my chives clump! I found the severed strands on the wooden balcony floor—I guess I’ll be having chives for lunch. At times like these, I’m very glad for “vegetable soap”! If possible, I don’t harm “var-mints” (as the Old West movies used to say), so I sent the thing to reside in a bush below.

I heard birdsong this morning that rang like a crystal goblet.

Resurrection

A day or two ago as I was looking over my airplane plant (aka spider plant, but I don’t call it that since some people are so frightened of spiders, I don’t want to prejudice them), I noticed that one cluster of “babies” was the wrong color and knew something was wrong. Eyes are some of the best gardening tools! As I looked over the limp gray-greenness, I was pretty sure that the plantlet’s connecting branch had somehow been broken. It had.


Airplane plants can be easily propagated from these “babies” but usually only when they’re cut and planted right away. However, I’ve not had success in planting the “dead” ones. But I had a pot of soil and decided that I had nothing to lose if I planted this one. Maybe some TLC would pull it through; would it thrive like others (2nd picture) I had cut and planted—I didn’t know. I potted and watered and put it in the least sunny place in the garden (any difference in sunlight is incremental though since in the afternoon the entire garden is ablaze).


This morning when I checked on it, I was pleased to find that it was making a come-back! It’s not yet fully flourishing like its brothers but it’s on its way—a kind of resurrection. Since the morning some years ago when I collapsed and showed no signs of life until my husband shouted, “Be alive in Jesus’ name!” and I was, I’ve been reluctant to give up too easily. Even when things show no signs of life.

I’ll keep you posted on “Lazarus” airplane plant.