Flowers and Truth

I love the earth. But before you get your "Hug a Tree" badges out, though a worthwhile cause, this is not about being "green". I love how God lavished us with His creativity in nature. Yes, I'm that kind, the kind that ogles sunsets and breaks my neck to look at stars. One of my favorite things to look at is a meadow. I love to see the soft wind rippling the grasses and flowers nodding their heads. I love the sweet smell of a meadow and how the mix of colors is just right - arranged by the Ultimate Florist. Meadows can delight us from spring to fall with different flowers springing up with the seasons. And then, as the breezes get cooler and the sun a little less warmer, they slowly drop and fade into the grasses leaving us with memories of their splendor.

I met a lady a who reminded me of a sweet flower. She was a delight to watch because she was so full of peace and contentment. She radiated a quiet joy and seemed to long for others to share it. Her conversation was full of grace and her words were full of wisdom. Anyone who spent more then a few minutes in her presence would realize that her character came from a long life of leaning on God and using His words as a guide for her life.

This precious lady asked to hold my youngest son when he was just a few months old and I felt privileged as I laid him in her arms and she quietly cooed and fawned over him. It was not long after that when I heard the news that she had faded from this world and into the presence of her Lord. She is no longer here physically to comfort her loved ones - but her words are. The legacy of her life - lived so fully for God - will endure for generations to come.

A bible passage I read today reminded me that the most enduring and lasting thing we can give our children is God's Word. Our tidy house won't last forever (or even 5 minutes some days...). Our gourmet meals definitely won't stay around for eternity. The oodles of toys and gadgets will end up in a yard sale or thrift store some day and allowances will slip away like sand through your fingers. But we can give them God's Word to live their lives by. We can teach them the wisdom of Proverbs and be confident that we have given them a guide to make good choices with. We can teach them the grace of the Gospels and know that we have given them the knowledge that Christ accepts them just as they are and longs for them to return to Him always. We can teach them the hope of Revelations so that they will look for Christ's return and to their future with Him in eternity.

Isaiah 40:6-8 says

A voice said, "Shout!"

I asked "What should I shout?"

"Shout that people are like grass,

their beauty fades as quickly as the flowers in a field.

The grass withers and the flowers fade beneath the breath of the Lord.

And so it is with people.

The grass withers and the flowers fade,

but the word of our God stands forever (NLT)."