Several days in a row I walk to the edge of my neighbor's pasture to admire the glorious lavender pennyroyal blooming under the pines and oaks and along the fence line - just out of my reach.
The long rows of barb-wire keep me and my camera at a distance, and I pout - wishing the fragrant herb with its tiny delicate flowers was growing this abundantly on my property.
Late in the afternoon, a dozen fire trucks respond to a brush fire down the road. I grab my camera and walk to a far corner of our pasture for a closer look.
For half an hour or more I watch as the fire is contained, and as I turn to walk back across the field toward the setting sun, I catch a glimpse of the lavender flowers sparkling at my feet. In my pasture.
They were there all along. I was too busy coveting my neighbor's flowers to notice.
In Rose from the Brier, Amy Carmichael reminds me that when I wish for something, what I'm saying is that I'm wishing "that things were different."
In other words, I'm not content with what I have and where I am when I'm wishing for the gifts - the flowers in someone else's green pasture.
And I'm humbled that Grace places tiny lavender flowers at my feet - when I least deserve them.
10 comments:
This was lovely, and such a good reminder. :)
beautiful words and photos...thank you, thank you, thank you. His grace still amazes me, daily.
Beautiful, Patricia. You have such a grateful and graceful heart, it's hard for me to imagine you as a pouter, but I know I can be guilty of the same covetousness. Thanks for your honesty and for the lovely photos.
Also, when I grow up, I want to be like Amy Carmichael.
Love, Jeanne
Such a wise post and a great lesson for us. I will remember this.
Pat, I love your writing and you inspire me. you have wonderful insights and and the ability to transform everyday occurrences into valuable lessons I don't know where to start..but you do inspire me.
At your feet - oh my. Pat, I think you need to write a book. You inspire me CONSTANTLY as you always point me to Jesus.
The state of being content is one that I'm constantly working toward. Sometimes, though, I think it's good not to be TOO content, you know? Because the same feeling of wanting more is what pulls us along to seek to be closer to the Lord.
I really appreciate this post! Especially the part about flowers (blessings) when we least deserve them.
Sometimes the tiny weeds in our yards have the most prolific and beautiful flowers... I think God wants us to see ALL of His creation as beautiful.
It's hard to be content and not "wish" but the more I try, the easier it gets. All I need is God's Word and I am content in His Love.
We're up to Isaiah 40 in BSF... another WONDERFUL chapter.
I love how you tied this all together Patricia. I have seen through the years that the unchangeable factors and circumstances in our lives help us to know that true contentment can only come from God.
Jeremiah Burroughs defined contentment “as that sweet inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God’s wise and fatherly disposal in every condition.”
May God produce the same in us!
Thank you for this sweet encouragement!
nice to meet you...
I loved your thoughts. ever since I read it, it has been on my mind. This week I caught myself saying "I wish" and then reminded of your words.
Such a beautiful portrait of grace. thank you.
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