Five Life-Changing Lessons We Can Learn From Flowers...

What are a few of your favorite things? If you were to ask me this question, I would, without a doubt, say that flowers would be near the top of my list (right up there with dark chocolate). Much of the inspiration for my quilt designs comes from my love of flowers.  No fabric, no matter how lovely, can compare with the real thing. For this reason, you will likely find me outside on a pretty afternoon dressed in my gardening clothes and completely absorbed in tending our flower beds...even when there's quilting work to be done inside!

My husband knows how to make my day super- special...just by bringing home a bouquet of flowers! Our anniversary is in March, so each year I look forward to pretty new garden gloves and new gardening tools as gifts.  
   
And, every spring when the weather warms up, Jim and the boys help me bring home a  load of various blooms from the nursery. Afterward, they bring out the tools and pour heaping  bags  of new garden  soil into each of the flower beds. When all of the preparation work is done,  they leave me alone to enjoy my "therapy session" of getting my hands into the dirt to plant flowers.

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I find flowers to be some of the most fascinating and interesting aspects of God's marvelous creation.
Luckily, for those of us who live in the South, we can enjoy a variety  of blooms  every season of the year.

 Isn't it wonderful that God placed His  handiwork  on earth for us to admire not only His majesty, but to learn some important lessons that, if applied, can help grow us into better people? 

Five Life-Changing Lessons We Can Learn from Flowers:

1.    We can learn from flowers  that God appreciates beauty. God didn't just design and create  every flower that exists, He embellished them with color, texture,  and aroma!  The proof of God's boundless imagination is especially evident in the enormous variety of flowering plants that occupy nearly every corner of the world. Flowers are an "undeniable witness" to the Creator's love of beauty.  Have you ever thought of yourself as beautiful? I hope so because you are created in God's image. That one fact gives you much more importance in His eyes than all the flowers in the world! 
God places  much more value on our inner beauty rather than outward appearance, and inward qualities such as kindness,  gentleness, and humility are precious  in God's eyes.

2. We all have unique talents and abilities that we can extend to those around us. Just as flowers spread their own fragrance, beauty, and color within their surroundings, so  we too can be a positive,  lovely,  influence for good to people who come into our lives. There is no one else just like you and no one else with your particular abilities. You are a gift to the people whom you  come in contact with... you have the ability to  shine  and make a difference like no one else can!

 3.  Flowers teach us to adapt when necessary... instead of giving up. Regardless of its circumstances, a flower still blooms.  We've seen flowers that bloom beautifully in the most difficult of places...have you even noticed a flower growing through a crack
in a sidewalk?  If we strive to grow our faith rather than our fears, we too will stay grounded during difficult times and will be able to adapt and grow with the adversities
we face. This growth also helps us to become more capable of being an encouragement to others who are facing tough times.

4.  We can learn some important lessons about comparison from flowers.  Have you ever noticed that we can  plant a variety of flowers in different sizes, colors, and shapes all within the same area and each one will grow and bloom heartily just as it was designed to do?  What an important life-changing lesson for us!  Comparison leads to discouragement. Theodore Roosevelt said, "Comparison is the thief of joy." One of the most positive things you can do is to find your strengths, focus on your God-given abilities, and find ways to use them for good. When you are busy doing good, then you won't have time to compare yourself with others.

5.  Life is brief... we should make the most of every day.  Flowers have a relatively short life span.  They bloom for a season and then  die leaving behind precious seeds to carry on the cycle of the plant.  We don't know how long we have to live on this earth, but we can be determined to bloom and show God's glory in our lives. We can plant seeds for a legacy that will last for many generations and will create a lasting impact in the hearts of those who are touched by our well-lived, well-loved life.

Keep on blooming!
Love,
Pam