Devotion 282 - Tiger Lilies

There was some small part of me that was anxious to get back to routine.  I woke early, dressed for my walk and headed for the door.  Then I saw her.  My baby daughter was also wide awake; neither of us had adjusted to the time change from our travels. 

Not wanting to forfeit my stroll, I snatched up my daughter, placed her in the stroller and we began our walk.  I was anxious to see my route.  I have walked it thousands of times but I wondered; I guess I hoped it would look different.  There is a perspective that falls upon me when I am on vacation that I desperately try to hold on to.  Is it time that offers us the luxury of a new perspective or is it a refreshed set of eyes?           I want those eyes to last.  I want to see new things, I want to smell new smells, but I want to find Him in the old as well.  I want to find Him no matter where I am.

Ava was silent, sleep still played with her mind and eyes so I was alone with my thoughts.  I looked far down our path noticing how green everything looked.  Our time away had brought nourishing rains; everything looked lush and healthy. 

I noticed bright orange flowers peering around the bushes as we approached.  They seemed to be reaching for the sun, stretching as far as they could go.  These were new since my last walk.  At least one hundred blooms danced before me.  I couldn’t name them at first but as I drew closer their spiky petals revealed who they were. 

They were exquisite tiger lilies.

It was ten years ago that I purchased my first tiger lilies.  It was a cold day in March and we were in Kazakhstan.   After four long weeks of visiting and praying, the judge had awarded custody of our beautiful baby daughter to us, her new family.  The day had arrived for our little family to finally leave the orphanage with her instead of visiting, holding, loving and then leaving her in her crib.  I wanted something special for her nurses, the beautiful ladies that had loved her from birth until her ninth month.  We walked against the cold Siberian wind, one market after another looking for a flower salesman.  Finally we found him, and them, tiger lilies in pink for my Lily’s nurses.  Nothing was priced in Kazakhstan so we bargained with the salesman.  I would have paid a king’s ransom as these were the perfect flowers. 

Our driver took us to the orphanage.  I didn’t speak enough Russian to express my gratitude just a simple thank you, a long deep hug and a beautiful bouquet. 

The memories came rushing back as I saw these tiger lilies.  I began to tell Ava the story of how special these flowers were to me.   And I wanted her to know how Lily, her beloved sister came to her.  I told her about our trip long ago, before China, to Kazakhstan.  Ava seemed captivated until I pronounced their names.  Tiger lilies simply would not do.  She looked at me,  shook her head and said, “no, not tiger lilies, theses are ‘elephant avas’.”

If I needed a lesson in perspective she had lovingly written one for me.

I had gone on vacation to leave busy, but the truth is, I choose busy.

I had come home from vacation hoping for a new perspective, but like my attitude, I can choose my perspective as well.

I can elect to pick up the stress I left behind, or I can place it in His hands, the One who dresses the lilies.

I can choose to admire tiger lilies or elephant avas or I can rush pass them and not see or smell or taste their splendor. 

I can choose haste or I can choose JOY.  Beloved I want to choose joy.

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11, ESV 

“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? “And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”  Matthew 6:  25-32