Real Flowers for Memorial Day

Today is Memorial Day. I feel some guilt that I didn't go just 50 miles away to decorate my parents' graves. But knowing them as I did, they wouldn't mind too much. They would understand my reasons.

Dad always gave me a little gas money when I came to visit or to help them, so I know he would understand my lack of funds. And Mom, being blind, did not need flowers on her grave. The sounds of the birds and the wind in the trees would be enough for her enjoyment. She relied on memories and would endorse my remembrance of them, rather than my actual presence.

I felt closer to them by going through some of their belongings this weekend. Yes, there are still some boxes of paperwork from their house that needed my attention. It was nice to see these remnants of their life, even though the sorting was at times painful.

Instead of needing flowers on their grave, I have flowers in my yard that come up every year and remind me of them. Just as these perennials come up after lying dormant in the ground for winter, Mom and Dad are lying in wait for that glorious resurrection Morning when Jesus breaks through the sky and comes back to take us all home with Him.

from Mom, iris bulbs that came from her yard

we planted geraniums for the sides of the swing (their custom--as a matter of fact, it's their swing!)

Spring in Heaven

I wouldn't have thought that my nephew from Florida, where they enjoy greenery and tropical trees all year round, would be so excited about a simple vegetable garden here in Nebraska. After his first winter back up North, he has really been thrilled to work with the soil and witness the growth of tiny seeds and plants that he labored so hard to get started.

I think the seasonal changes we experience here make us appreciate the growth and colors of plants so much more. The harshness of winter weather only enhances the spring fever that captivates so many of us. Our salad with dinner tonight tasted so much better with the radishes that we grew ourselves in our very own yard.

Gardening seems to make us feel closer to God, because without His sunshine and rain, nothing would grow. We are partners with Him in a sense. But another reason I think people in general get so much more excited about gardens here in the North is that it follows a long period of cold, unpleasant weather and nature all around us wakes up and becomes green with life again.

It will be the same feeling when we get to heaven. We'll enjoy it all the more because of the hardships endured here on earth during our lifetimes. It will be like entering the most beautiful springtime, multiplied by infinity. I can't wait to wake up in the springtime of heaven and warm up to His love firsthand.

Flowers on Easter

I can't think of a better Easter activity than planting begonias in the backyard with your family. It was a great deal of fun, watching a three-year-old work with her mommy and daddy to get the six bulbs in the ground. I stood by with a camera to document the event.

Little sister missed out on the fun, as she opted out for a nap on the couch while they labored. But we will all join in the fun as we watch these bulbs grow and flower in the coming days and weeks.

I can see why God chose working with the land as one of the first occupations for mankind. It consists of God and man working side by side, and is full of miraculous births and rebirths of plant life. No wonder Jesus drew from nature so much in His parables. We can learn so much from all that God has created. But you don't have to be a farmer to reap these benefits. Growing a single houseplant can be just as satisfying. Try it and see.

God's Garden

All in one day it seems, the peach tree in our backyard has budded and bloomed. Flowers are popping up in the front yard too, each taking turns showing off their bright colors. Crocuses, daffodils, and now jonquils. Before long it will be tulips, irises, lilacs, and roses. Funny how Mother Nature has a way of spreading out her beauty all through the summer and fall, with different blossoms in their different seasons, with none outshining the other.

That's the beauty of the church too. We each have our individual time table to rise and shine for God. None of us making it a one-man show. We're all there to glorify God when the time is right, in due season. If we are planted properly and given the right ingredients to grow, the field will become a glorious panorama of garden splendor and God will be pleased with His wonderful paradise.

Lord, make me a part of that church picture. Help me contribute to the overall effect, in whatever way you show me. Not a lonely blossom, but a part of the garden.