Cambrie’s “Ballet Slippers” Hibiscus was the first one to bloom this year!
Mac’s won’t be far behind…
The buds on Baby J’s hibiscus are still closed but I’ll remain patient – it hasn’t failed me yet.
“Holiness appeared to me to be of a sweet, pleasant, charming, serene, calm nature; which brought an inexpressible purity, brightness, peacefulness, and ravishment to the soul. In other words, that it made the soul like a field or garden of God, with all manner of pleasant flowers.”
40 Important Bible Verses About Flowers (Blooming Flowers) (biblereasons.com)
-Jonathan Edwards
This quote reminds me of “The Shack“.
The book was originally published in November of 2016, written by William Paul Young (WM. Paul Young) and turned into a movie shortly thereafter. The main male character in Avatar – he plays the main character in The Shack, too. His character’s nickname is “Mack” which I LOVED immediately… hence why my little buddy has the nickname “Mac”.
If you haven’t read the book or seen the movie, here’s a synopsis:
After his daughter’s murder, a grieving father confronts God with desperate questions — and finds unexpected answers — in this riveting and deeply moving #1 NYT bestseller.
When Mackenzie Allen Phillips’s youngest daughter Missy is abducted during a family vacation, he remains hopeful that she’ll return home. But then, he discovers evidence that she may have been brutally murdered in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness.
Four years later, in this midst of his great sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note that’s supposedly from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend. Against his better judgment, he arrives on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change his life forever.
There’s a scene that involves Mack, the Holy Spirit, and a garden. The garden is gorgeous! Filled with wild plants and flowers of all colors, we quickly learn that this garden represents what is in Mack’s heart… what we hold dear and cling to.
~ The Garden of Our Hearts ~
I have never thought about hearts & souls in terms of a garden but isn’t it such great imagery? Hearts and souls need to be watered and cultivated. Left with no direction or clear “gardener”, I could imagine how weedy and overgrown the garden might become. But if we allow God and His Godly things to cultivate our heart gardens, they will flourish to unimaginable heights leading us closer to the great reward.
Initially, it may seem restricting or limiting to try walking in God’s path. I sure felt that way and it seems like other brothers and sisters are turned-off by this assumption, as well. Funny thing is, there is so much more freedom and peace that comes from following His path than choosing the flesh and turning away from him.
One must lose his life to find it.
One must let go of his worldly selfish ways and worldly selfish desires (they only bring temporary satisfaction anyway) – LOSE HIS LIFE… to FIND LIFE – to gain the ultimate reward and purpose behind living this life on Earth: eternal happiness with the Lord in Heaven.
That rant went a bit farther than I set out to do but I wholeheartedly hope that, if you’re still reading at this point, you don’t take my words as “cheesy” coming from a Jesus freak. I used to feel that cringey yucky “cheesy” feeling when I would hear others talk about how much God loves us …
as if they were perfect people with a perfect life because they “followed the rules”…
That negative gut-reaction I used to feel was fueled by a whole lot of misunderstanding and evilness. Those do-gooders trying to bring the Lord into my life were NOT perfect people because they followed strict rules… they were peaceful people. They knew they were sinners but they also knew how much God loved them anyway, that He had a plan for them that was much bigger than themselves.
Now my heart just MELTS when fellow parishioners look at my babies and with a big smile say, “Bless you, little one!”
Another favorite of mine – “Jesus loves you!”
So, at the ripe old age of 32, I finally understand JUST HOW much love God has for each and every one of His Children… I know now that He loves MY babies even more than I do >>> seems pretty unfathomable >>> but with God, all things are possible. <3 I finally wrapped my brain around why such a powerful being would offer us little pion humans the gift of eternal life with Him in Heaven – He Loves Us!
I come to the garden alone,
While the dew is still on the roses,
And the voice I hear falling on my ear,
The Son of God disclosesAnd He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own,
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other, has ever, known!He speaks and the sound of His voice,
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that he gave to me,
Within my heart is ringingAnd He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own,
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other, has ever, known!And the joy we share as we tarry there,
Perry Como – In the Garden Lyrics | Lyrics.com
None other, has ever, known! “
