A Labor of Love
 

        I’ve recently read of a woman who, more than forty years ago, had begun, one bulb at a time, to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountain top.  It’s been said that, “It looked as though someone had taken a great vat of gold and poured it over the mountain peak and its surrounding slopes”.  The flowers were planted in majestic, swirling patterns, great ribbons and swaths of deep orange, creamy white, lemon yellow, salmon pink, and saffron and butter yellow.  Each different colored variety was planted in large groups so that it swirled and flowed like its own river with its own unique hue.  There were five acres of flowers that had been planted one bulb at a time, year after year; this unknown woman had forever changed the world in which she lived.  One day at a time, she had created something of extraordinary magnificence, beauty, and inspiration.  The principle that her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principles of celebration, compassion, and love.

          This story inspired me to think of the many ways that God has planted the same seeds of extraordinary significance, beauty, and inspiration into each and every one of us!  He too plants us in different areas, with many varieties and colors.  His majesty abounds, as the many facets of the Holy Spirit radiate from within all of us.  If we could only fathom how much He loves us all...then perhaps we would become desperately excited to learn how to move toward meaningful goals, with Godly desires, embracing the plans that He has for us.  We need to see that God plants opportunities for each of us to reach out.  His love can be magnified through us, by the daily effort we put into the time that we spend in the Word, in serving, and in reaching out to one another in Christ.  (Proverbs 3:1-9)

          What if we became as passionate as the daffodil woman and asked God for His plan?  If only we were able to sow a seed per day, learning to move toward His goals and desires, one step at a time—no matter what the size of the step—and learning to love serving one another and to use the accumulation of time.  If we multiplied all of that…with the minimal daily effort we give Him now...we still would find that we could accomplish magnificent things.  However, with passion and love…we too could change not just the world we live in, but the lives of many people with one seed at a time!  Isaiah 60:21 says..."Then will all your people be righteous and they will possess the land forever. They are the shoot I have planted, the work of my hands, for the display of my splendor.

          For me...I want to bloom where I am planted, that I might be a part of the fields of splendor through God's eyes and not of my own! His Love never ceases!

In Christ,
Annette