Broken and Beautiful

I have truly enjoyed my sunflowers this summer.  They have added light and beauty to my home and seeing them standing proudly, bowed slightly towards the sun, has added new dimensions to my appreciation for our Lord.

Last night when Steve and I got home, there was a full moon, shining down the road to the end of my ‘hood.  Wanting to capture its beauty and light, I quickly got my camera phone out and unsuccessfully tried to photograph it.  The light from it was just too intense for my feeble camera’s ability to truly show what wonder it was creating.  Knowing that the heat from the past few weeks has taken its toll on our vegetation, I meandered around to the side of the house to peek at what was left of my sunflowers.  You may think I am weird (and you wouldn’t be the first to do so) but the verse that popped into my head when I saw them was “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.  Ecclesiastes 3:11).

Yes, these former standing-tall flowers were now nearly spent.  Their seeds have long been used to feed the birds and other critters that may have gotten to eat a scrap morsel or two that those hungry feathered friends of ours left behind.  Ooh, that reminds me of when the Canaanite lady was sitting at Jesus’ feet, waiting for a crumb from the Master’s table from Matthew 15.  She had asked Him for help and he replied that He was sent to the lost sheep of Israel.  Her response to this caused a great reaction in Jesus and in those around Him:

The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said.

“He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to the dogs."  

"Yes it is, Lord," she said. "Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table."

Then Jesus said to her, "Woman, you have great faith! Your

request is granted." And her daughter was healed at that

moment.”  

Faith. What a tremendous word.  

Take one last look at my sunflowers.  They will soon be pruned down and perhaps they will take root over the winter months as they slumber and when spring comes?  Oh, how tremendous it would be to see them shoot up and grow strong and tall once again!

Notice in particular the sunflower on the far right.  Do you see it?  Stooped over.  Broken, yet still bowing down to its creator.  Its work not done completely yet, it takes a final opportunity to pay homage to the Lord, to the Son, to remind me again that I am to do the same.  As my bones age and bend, may my soul maintain the beauty once given to it.  May my seed continue producing long after my eternal body is gone.  May my faded beauty still shine as brightly as possible for my Maker.