the flowers of the field...

Confession: I like pretty things.


I like making pretty things.I like buying pretty things.
I like having pretty things around my house. 


But pretty things that grow? Eh...not my style.
Having to take care of something else?
More than likely I'll forget.


     To water them.
     To walk them.
     To feed them.
     To talk to them.


[I know what you're thinking: "thank goodness she's not a mom". haha.].


For our anniversary, Lane bought me some star-gazer lily bulbs and planted them in a little pot, with a really cool garden stake thing that looks like a sun. [I don't have a picture of the sun thing yet. I'll do that soon because it's really cool!] This may not sound like a big deal to you, but star-gazer lilies are my very favorite flower!! And the fact that Lane didn't just go out and buy a bouquet that would die in a few days, but instead channeled some creativity and got me something that I can keep forever [they'll grow and then after their season, they'll go back into the soil, and then come back when it's time again. kind of gives a whole new meaning to "there is a season for everything" from Ecclesiastes]

plant beginning :)

If I were to be completely honest, half of me was really excited about watching my flowers grow and the other half of me was really afraid that (1) they wouldn't grow and (2) if they did grow, I wouldn't be able to keep them alive. However, being that it was a gift, and that is was from Lane, I had to at least try to make these it grow.

He said there were only 2 rules: Water it. And make sure it gets plenty of sun.


[seemed easy enough]


So I watered it. And waited. I checked to make sure it was getting sun, and moved it when it wasn't. And I kept waiting. Then I came home one day to this... [sorry, it won't let me rotate it]

baby bloom

I immediately caught myself saying "you're so pretty little bud" [yes, out loud] ...as I stared at the pretty blossom bud peeking up out of the soil. I was SO excited! My flower was growing! I was actually doing everything right! :) 


So I've continued to water and move my little pot into the sun when it seems like the shade had taken over. And I've made sure to compliment my little bud so it knows how very proud I am that it's growing.


[because it can totally hear me, right? haha]


But, I firmly believe that my sweet words of encouragement led to this...

baby bloom grows!

(well, along with the sun and water, of course!)


My little bud continues to change every day. In fact, there's 2 growing now (and, as Lane discovered yesterday, a third one is really close to coming through the soil) and I noticed today that the 2nd one is almost ready to spurt out like the one in the picture above. I find myself checking the pot every day when I come home to see if anything new has happened, because I don't want to miss any detail of my flowers growing. 


Today as I was looking to see what new happenings were going on with my little buds, a song popped into my head. 

"The flowers of the field
Are crying to be heard
The trees of the forest
Are singing
And all of the mountains
With one voice
Are joining the chorus of this world" [David Crowder Band]

The song talks about how creation sings so loudly, making a joyful noise to the Lord with every growth spurt. With my little bud, I feel like the more it grows, the more it sings and screams and shouts how great and awesome and incredible our God is! With every leaf that peels away from the center, with every petal that will eventually blossom...it was created (in the beginning) to bring glory to God, to make people praise Him! 


My little buds may not all make it, or they may flourish into the beautiful flowers they were intended to be. Of course, I'll keep watering them, and making sure they can see the sun. And I'll keep talking to them, letting them know how pretty they are. And regardless of what happens, and how long they last ...


...it's so very cool to have a close up view as creation worships our God!