The story revolves around a garden party that the author's mother planned. Because of the work that would go into the party, the host spent a year preparing and visioning. She dreams of welcoming her friends and family to her back garden where a surprise would await them. When they arrived they would see a host of daffodils blooming all around the yard. She planted these flowers a year before the scheduled party. . . But things didn't go to plan.
However, the spring leading up to the garden party was unusually cold. The precious daffodils, those who were planted a year ago, were nowhere close to blooming as the days ticked off before the party.
But when guests arrived, they were surprised to see the back garden filled with beautiful daffodils. The party was a smashing success and the guests would rave about the flowers for a long time. The author continues the story as she lets us in on the secret:
"My mother went through the yard carefully removing all the cut daffodils she had bought at the florist, that she painstakingly attacked to chopsticks with wire twist ties, that she had then carefully stuck in the ground. . . Those daffodils weren't fake; they were just short-lived and flimsy, with no bulb under the earth to allow them to survive. . ."
I thought about this story and wondered about you and me?
I wonder how often do you and I encounter folks whose spiritual life is like the daffodils in the garden party? They have no root; no foundation. On the surface everything looks great, colorful, perfectly at peace, but there are no roots. Nothing to hold the individual safe when the challenges of daily life continue to press upon them.
I wonder how you might be called to care for them? Not judge them or criticize them for how they got to this point. But how might you help them find the roots that live in each of us through Jesus Christ?
Perhaps a little work, done together, done in love, might help that person not wilt under the challenges of their day?
Blessings
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