Super Bloom in California

Have you ever heard the term SUPERBLOOM?  What is it?  This is the newest frenzy for Californians in the last two weeks.  In all thirty some years of my life, I have never heard this term outside of the 60’s peace era. My social media pages and face-to-face conversations have been filled with eyewitnesses of “super bloom”

Super Bloom, Lake Eleanor, CA :  photo by @mirandajonez

National Geographic Magazine defines “super bloom” as “a colloquial term used to define an explosion of wildflowers that exceeds typical spring blooms. The park, which is typically bare of flowers, has come alive with vibrant greenery, poppies, primroses, and lilies.”

photos from National Geographic
Other photos of super bloom in California

It is praise to the Creator that the California drought has finally ended from the downpour of rain this past winter.  Our reservoirs are filled and the drive on the I-5 is no longer hazy brown.  But rather the interstate has become drenched with rolling green hills covered with hues of yellows, blues, and orange wild flowers transforming the California valleys. 

SEEING the “Super Bloom”

I didn’t know the term “super bloom” yet.  But I was seeing the evidence of super bloom on a recent road trip from Los Angeles to Santa Maria to celebrate my grandmother for her birthday with extended family.  It was beautiful. The land along the I-5 and 101 highways looked completely transformed.  Several times my sisters and I were ecstatically snapchatting and shouting out how beautiful the view has become because of the rain.  How can you ignore such beauty when the horizon of blue-ocean is on one side and rolling green hills and flower fields are on the other?

HEARING About the “Super Bloom”

I returned to work that Monday taking attention to my responsibilities.  During lunch the general manager came barging into the break room rapidly rambling and raving about his blissful weekend experience of the National Poppy Reservation “super bloom” experience with his boyfriend.  He shared photos, talked about how the rangers were saying it has been years since the poppy fields have been in full bloom.  He said that people are flooding into the desert fields since it is unpredictable how long the blooms will last.  Lastly he emphasized that the fields are so vast that the 45 minute long car line, which divides the middle of the field to get into parking lot, looked as a thin thread compared to the surrounding scenic panorama.  And of course he showed us a photo as proof of how miniscule our urbanized vehicles were to the wild of the earth. 

CONVERSING about “Super Bloom”

I took my Sabbath morning alongside a group of ladies from the Ladies Adventure Club last Sunday morning.  We were hiking and conversing many topics along the Griffith Observatory Trail. At the end of the hike we transitioned into a cool down session:  stretching, healing by aromatherapy using a refreshing essential oil, and reflecting on our morning hike. After our cool down session, as estranged as we all were of one another, we went around to share some things each of us would want to experience.  Sharing these experiences and interests was to raise interest in possible ideas for the Ladies Adventure Club.

One of the bucket list mentions was to visit and hike through a “super bloom” nearby Los Angeles.  We spoke of how Los Angeles and most of California rarely experiences such “super bloom”. Most of us were still astonished that there were actually “super blooms” happening.  We reflected on how within our millennial generation we have yet to experience flowers blooming in such vastness concurringly at the same time until today.  It was mentioned that there was a “super bloom” field just at the bottom of Griffith Park behind the tennis courts and golf course if any of us needed a weekday getaway.  Of course most of were even more surprised that there was a patch of small dry land nearby that has bloomed in the middle of the mega city. 

Reflection

The main reason that I share these eye-witnesses of “super bloom” are in regard to how we pray with expectancy and with vision of the Kingdom’s abundance.  Seeing, hearing, and conversing repetitively about the “super bloom” season really made me think about pre-con prayer and worship together.  This frenzy also reminds me of how news from miracles, Jesus' resurrection, and the spread of the Gospel throughout Asia Minor.  The last two weeks made me consider if I do expect God the Father/Creator to down pour His faithfulness, His love, and His goodness upon this upcoming conference.  As someone supporting and planning alongside other committee members I cannot help but repent in such a dry two years. 

Many unplanned occurrences and situations repetitively kept happening in the processes of even deciding to have SEALS 2017 approximately a year ago.  Parts of our team members were in need to move on in their discipleship journey while some team members were in the a very intentional process of evaluating their next steps, finding a venue was extremely difficult, while establishing dates felt nearly impossible.  Our conference committee was really struggling with how to begin the process of conference planning.  It seemed that nothing was allowing us to move forward.  In our disparity, we even contemplated if SEAC has outlived its vision and mission.  For most of us on the conference committee we would admit it has been really dry, parched in getting it together to uphold the vision of SEAC and for SEALS. 

We praise the Creator for making a way.  I also praise the Creator for giving me current events to help me see more clearly His desire to give us abundance, His intentions, and His directions to walk. 

Things rapidly came together in the last six months.  Now we are down to two and a half months to conference.   Our time together at conference in St. Paul would similarly be like a “super bloom” for many of us in our work (whether it be professional, missional, or pastoral).  Our week together would perhaps be like a “super bloom” experience “like an explosion of abundance that exceeds our typical blessings and victories at a local level”.  As a national community and alongside our nations mother tongues we will join together in one song and fellowship as one.

We look forward to sharing in becoming more encouraged, more affirmed, and anchored in our calling as disciples.  We look forward to being fortified as “iron sharpens iron” as we learn, forum, and fellowship with one another. 

PRE-CON PRAYER POINTS:

• For one another, many of us might not know one another, but send a down pour of blessings and supernatural faith to surround our environments and heart. 
• For renewal of the mind. Intercede for one another against negative thoughts, voices, and darkness that desires to consume our joy, laughter, and desires to believe in Goodness. 
• For our plenary and good word speakers as they reflect and prepare to share their testimonies 
• Thank Him that we have reached 50% of our fundraising goal for this conference 
• For our conference committee to remain energized and refreshed as we work in our local professions and ministries. Pray for our communication, unity, and to-do lists