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Monday, July 27, 2015

Dead Flowers

A friend sent this to me today.  I thought it worth sending.  It has been around before but hope you enjoy reading.

 

I was getting ready for my daughter's June wedding which was taking place in a church about forty miles away, and felt loaded with responsibilities as I watched my budget dwindle.  So many details, so many bills, and so little time.

 

My son Jack said he would walk his younger sister down the aisle, taking the place of his dad who had died a few years before. He teased Patsy, saying he'd wanted to give her away since she was about three years old!

 

To save money, I gathered blossoms from several friends who had large magnolia trees.  Their luscious, creamy-white blooms and slick green leaves would make beautiful arrangements against the rich dark wood inside the church.   7384725-magnolia-flower

The big day arrived - the busiest day of my life - and while her bridesmaids helped Patsy to dress, her fiancé Tim walked with me to the sanctuary to do a final check.  When we opened the door and felt a rush of hot air, I almost fainted; and then I saw them - all the beautiful white flowers were black.  Funeral black.  An electrical storm during the night had knocked out the air conditioning system, and on that hot summer day, the flowers had wilted and died.

 

I panicked, knowing I didn't have time to drive back to our hometown, gather more flowers, and return in time for the wedding and I certainly didn't have the extra money to buy a new set from the florist in town.

 

Tim turned to me.  'Edna, can you get more flowers?  I'll throw away these dead ones and put fresh flowers in these arrangements.'

 

I mumbled, 'Sure,' as he be-bopped down the hall to put on his cuff links.

 

Alone in the large sanctuary, I looked up at the dark wooden beams in the arched ceiling. 'Lord,' I prayed, 'please help me.  I don't know anyone in this town. Help me find someone willing to give me flowers - in a hurry!'  I scurried out praying for the blessing of white magnolias.

 

As I left the church, I saw magnolia trees in the distance. 

magnolia-tree-full-bloom-23877149

I approached a house...no dog in sight...knocked on the door and an older man answered.  So far so good.  No shotgun.  When I stated my plea the man beamed and said...'I'd be happy to!'

 

He climbed a stepladder and cut large boughs and handed them down to me.  Minutes later, as I lifted the last armload into my car trunk, I said, 'Sir, you've made the mother of a bride happy today.'

 

'No , Ma'am,' he said. 'You don't understand what's happening here.'

 

'What?' I asked.

'You see, my wife of sixty-seven years died on Monday.  On Tuesday I received friends at the funeral home, and on Wednesday…’ 

He paused.  I saw tears welling up in his eyes.

'On Wednesday I buried her.'  He looked away.  'On Thursday most of my out-of-town relatives went back home, and on Friday, yesterday my children left.'

I nodded.

'This morning,' he continued, 'I was sitting in my den crying out loud.  I miss her so much.  For the last sixteen years, as her health got worse, she needed me.  But now nobody needs me.  This morning I cried, 'Who needs an eighty-six-year-old wore-out man?  Nobody!' I began to cry louder.  'Nobody needs me!'

About that time, you knocked, and said, 'Sir, I need you.'

I stood with my mouth open. 

He asked, 'Are you an angel ?'

I assured him I was no angel.

He smiled. 'Do you know what I was thinking when I handed you those magnolias?'

'No.'

'I decided I'm needed.  My flowers are needed.  Why, I might have a flower ministry!  I could give them to everyone!   Some caskets at the funeral home have no flowers. People need flowers at times like that and I have lots of them.  They're all over the backyard!  I can give them to hospitals, churches - all sorts of places.  You know what I'm going to do?  I'm going to serve the Lord until the day He calls me home!'

 

I drove back to the church, filled with wonder.  On Patsy's wedding day, if anyone had asked me to encourage someone who was hurting, I would have said, 'Forget it! It's my only daughter's wedding, for goodness sake! There is no way I can minister to anyone today.'

But God found a way. Through dead flowers.

 

'Life is not the way it's supposed to be.  It's the way it is.  The way you cope with it is what makes the difference.'

 

If you have missed knowing me, you have missed nothing. If you have missed some of my posts, you may have missed a laugh or a thought.  But, if you have missed knowing God you have missed everything in the world!!  He can be your everything.

 

May God's blessings be upon you.

 

THIS IS SO TRUE.... BEING NEEDED IS SO UPLIFTING TO EACH OF US!

22 comments:

  1. Crying and smiling! Perfect, just perfect.

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    1. Didn't mean to make you cry Minelle but happy you enjoyed it.

      Hugs and blessings...Cat

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  2. I had never read this...and like Minelle read with a smile and through tears.....
    hugs abby

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    1. Well sheesh Abby...really didn't mean to make everyone cry...just wanted to uplift everyone a bit.

      Hugs and blessings...Cat

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  3. Replies
    1. Happy you enjoyed it Sunny.

      Hugs and blessings...Cat

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  4. Wow...just wow. This is so beautiful. Thank you Cat.

    Hugs
    Roz

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    1. You're welcome Roz...happy you enjoyed it.

      Hugs and blessings...Cat

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  5. You are right. Most times you hand out a Giggle and a Grin. Today you gave us a Reflection.

    Just Ella

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    1. Once in a while, I do that Ella...hope you enjoyed the reflection as much as the giggles and grins. ;)

      Hugs and blessings...Cat

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  6. Thank you so much for this wonderful post. I have to disagree with your line: "If you have missed knowing me, you have missed nothing." You are much more than "nothing" and are an inspiration to this community who would be very missed. Although I don't always comment, I look forward to reading your blog and admiring your artwork. That reminds me, when are you going to post more paintings?

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    1. Thank you for the lovely compliment Anon...that was very sweet of you. I have been very busy and have missed painting...hope to finish and post some more in the near future.

      Blessings...Cat

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  7. Hi Cat, what a wonderful story. I love its hopefulness which made me smile and was crying about the old man's wife and his good thoughts too. I just wish that all feel needed and appreciated. Thank you for sharing.

    hugs

    Nina

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    1. You're very welcome Nina...I loved the uplifting quality and the fact that the woman and man gave each other what they most needed.

      Hugs and blessings...Cat

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  8. I hadn't read this one yet, very uplifting and so true.

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    1. Happy you felt uplifted by this Julia.

      Hugs and blessings...Cat

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  9. Replies
    1. Well sheesh Jan...didn't mean to make you weepy...sorry.

      Hugs and blessings...Cat

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  10. Amen! So sweet and the message is so true. Thanks for sharing this Cat!

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    1. You're very welcome Lilli...happy you enjoyed the message.

      Hugs and blessings...Cat

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  11. Still the tears run down my face. This is a beautiful story and reminder of God's love and how to serve him.

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    1. Oh Blondie...just wanted to share the lovely and uplifting story. Happy you enjoyed it...even if it did make you cry.

      Hugs and blessings...Cat

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