The Flower of Joy

 

"Faith is born and sustained by the word of God, and out of faith grows the flower of joy."

John Piper, Desiring God:  Meditations of a Christian Hedonist

See How Flowers of the Field Grow

 "And why do you worry about clothes?  See how the flowers of the field 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.  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you--you of little faith?"

Matthew 6:28-30 NIV

Awake, North Wind, and Come, South Wind!

Awake, north wind, and come, south wind!  Blow on my garden, that its fragrance may spread everywhere.  Let my beloved come into his garden and taste its choice fruits.

Song of Songs 6:2 NIV

 

Season of Singing has Come

 

See!  The Winter is past; the rains are over and gone.  Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.

~Song of Songs 2:11-12 NIV

How the Wild Flowers Grow

 

"Consider how the wild flowers grow.  They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these."

~Luke 12:27

The Crown of Life

 

But the rich should take pride in their humiliations - since they will pass away like a wild flower.  For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossoms falls and its beauty is destroyed.  In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.  Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

~James 1:10-12

Seasons of Life

 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.

~Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV

Flowers Grow Out of Darkness

We live our lives in moments, hours, days.  During profound grief, healing can come when we pick a wonderful moment from time to cherish.  A healing process is to take a good moment from our lives:  a trail walk, a beach sunrise, misty mountain morning, a walk in the moonlight.

"Flowers grow out of dark moments"
Artist Corita Kent

In The Morning Glow

          

Flower-Gathering

By Robert Frost

I left you in the morning,

And in the morning glow,
You walked a way beside me
To make me sad to go.
Do you know me in the gloaming,
Gaunt and dusty gray with roaming?
Are you dumb because you know me not,
Or dumb because you know?

All for me And not a question
For the faded flowers gay
That could take me from beside you
For the ages of a day?
They are yours, and be the measure
Of their worth for you to treasure,
The measure of the little while
That I've been long away

Nature is What We See

The Azaleas live from year to year with only mother nature to nurture and care for them and they continue to thrive.  The one word to describe how I feel when my yard is full of blooms is "happy."

Nature is What We See
by Emily Dickinson

"Nature" is what we see--
The Hill--the Afternoon--
Squirrel--Eclipse--the Bumble bee--
Nay--Nature is Heaven--
Nature is what we hear--
The Bobolink--the Sea--
Thunder--the Cricket--
Nay--Nature is Harmony--
Nature is what we know--
Yet have no art to say--
So important Our Wisdom is
To her Simplicity.