Seeing the Beauty…
“One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I
may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the
beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his
temple.” *
Al’s mom, Char Lowery, had a tradition of sending us a
special gift several weeks before Christmas. We looked forward to receiving the
box, which contained a large amaryllis bulb packed tightly in a plastic pot
along with directions. Planting the bulb
in the prepackaged soil and then watching it grow indoors was always enjoyable.
The anticipation of showy red flowers made the long seven to ten weeks wait
worthwhile.
After it had
finished blooming, the original bulb was planted along the north side of our
Springville home along with those from previous years. Every spring large red
blossoms greeted us, reminding me always of mom Char.
One year I took the amaryllis bulb to school so that my
second graders could have the experience of watching the whole growth cycle. It
generated many interesting math, science, writing and art lessons. The students
soon discovered that there were two stems mysteriously protruding from the
seemingly inert bulb and began measuring them each week to chart their growth.
Four buds gradually developed; however, it seemed like we
had been waiting a very long time for something to happen. When the kids
arrived at school one morning and realized that the buds had turned into beautiful
red flowers, they were spellbound. One child exclaimed, “It’s a miracle!” No
matter how many times I’ve watched amaryllis bulbs bloom, I still feel the same
way.
Just recently, Al and I were shopping in a hardware store
when I came to a standstill in front of a display of gift boxes of “Red Lion”
Amaryllis bulbs. And they were on
sale! Couldn’t pass that up!
It seemed like a wonderful project to do with our two
youngest grandsons. So, I bought one for them and one for us. I planted ours
first, discovering that the disk of compressed fibers used for potting the bulb
needed to be soaked in water so that it could expand.
Expand it did, all
over the place…not dirty but very crumbly and messy. Once my bulb was planted
in the fibrous mix, it was put on a table under the kitchen window along with
two orchids…one of which is sending out spikes and getting ready to bloom
around Christmas time. Maybe “Phalaenopsis” will encourage “Red Lion” to
blossom!
Armed with a plastic tub, spoons for scooping out the
potting mixture and a saucer to go under the pot, I took the other box over to
my step-daughter’s house so that the boys could plant their bulb.
Nate (12), Elliot (10) and I managed to keep the kitchen
counter fairly clean, holding the flower pot over the tub while spooning in the
fibers and then packing it all down around the large bulb. Now, we’re waiting...
At least I know what to expect, that is if it isn’t too
cold indoors for the heat loving bulbs The boys haven’t any clue. I’m sure
they’ll be surprised.
Beauty…it’s all around us and within us too, if we take
time to find it. My All-American tackle father hesitated to accept Christ into
his life until his kind and perceptive pastor told him that God wanted him just
as he was, that he didn’t have to become like his daughter or anyone else.
And God did! Dad became involved in the Fellowship of
Christian Athletes, impacting the lives of numerous athletes and coaches as
well as the members of affiliated service organizations. Christ’s beauty blossomed
in him when he took that step of faith.
Sometimes it is challenging to envision beauty in the
people around us and maybe even harder to believe that He is changing us,
creating beauty in our lives as well.
And one day we’ll be with Him face to face, seeing Him in
all of his beauty. Until then we wait in anticipation!
* Mat. 6: 28-29, 33 & Psalm 27:4 NIV
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