Living in - GOD'S FLOWER GARDEN

“Consider how the lilies grow.  They do not labor or spin.  Yet, I tell you, that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.”  Luke 12:27

“I’m looking over a four leaf clover, that I overlooked before…….”  Does anyone out there remember that little song?  It had cute words, but I will be concentrating on the first line in what I am about to share.

When just a child I remember how each year when Spring arrived my Dad would plow a plot of ground to be used for growing vegetables.  Food to be used each day, but also to be canned and preserved for Winter.  How good it would all taste when the snow was flying! When Dad would plow this vegetable garden, he would also plow a smaller plot for Mom to have a flower garden. 

On special days, Sundays usually, when company might be coming, Mom and I would go to her flower garden to cut a bouquet of multi-colored flowers to use on the table, and other places throughout the house. The only problem was, when I should be helping Mom cut the flowers, I would get sidetracked by seeing small flowers in the grass, just growing on their own.  One such flower was a clover blossom.  These little flowers would always catch my attention, so I would stop here and there before getting to the actual flower garden, to pick myself a bouquet of clover blossoms  They weren’t a particularly fragrant flower, but they just seemed sad to me, sprinkled all through the grass with nobody noticing them.

There are so many such flowers and other beautiful things that are growing all on their own, even today, just being overlooked by us because we are hurrying and scurrying along in our daily lives. What a blessing we miss by doing so! 

When I think of this today, I compare it to how, so many times we "pass over" people who might be calling out, or just needing our attention in some way....someone to come and focus on them, - "sit by them" in a sense.  So often we tend to gravitate toward people whom we feel might be more beautiful, fun or interesting to talk with.  

At times do you, like me, feel like the little clover blossom that I, so long ago, would notice, pick, and love?  Yes, I would eventually go to help Mom who had gone straight to her beautiful flower garden. One that had taken lots of her time in order to even have them grow.

God plants ALL these beautiful things for His own pleasure, and for our pleasure, too. In the same way He  has planted you and I right where we are today. But, do we take time to notice, care and enjoy?

I found out years ago when I worked at a Care Facility for the elderly that, so often we miss the enjoyment and pleasure of "sitting beside" many who have such beauty and purpose they are still able to share with us. 

I'm sure they, and we ourselves, can sometimes feel as if they are being "stepped on” and overlooked by others. And only because of not being planted and growing in the garden of ‘healthy, more attractive and helpful people.’ 

How I love these wonderful life lessons God gives me!  How blessed it is to be growing in a flower garden planted by His own hand!!  Don't get me wrong! I so enjoy the beautiful flowers that have been planted by those who have been given the talent to grow such as these. They have many, many purposes, also.

So, the next time you go for a walk in your yard, in the woods, or other places, look around at all of God’s beautiful creation, but also look down at times.  Because, if you don’t, you might miss some of the beautiful little flowers in God’s own garden ... those that we so often step on without even knowing they are there. 

I encourage you to, at times, choose a “clover” from the “garden” of those who need someone to "sit by them."  Someone to love and support….and let them know you chose them.  It will help them feel they are truly worth something, and make their day, and yours, a bit brighter.

HAPPY SPRING!    Alice   (Many thanks to my friend who added the beautiful picture of a clover blossom at the top of this story....thanks Melody!)