Appreciating the beauty of nature

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This article was published 10/08/2022 (299 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Do you enjoy flowers?

As I walk in my neighbourhood, I admire people’s creativity. Some yards are carefully landscaped with perfect perennials, shrubs, and grasses. Some need a bit of attention to rein in the weeds. And some shout, “I love flowers”. Kind of like my mom’s yard. She loves to plant passels and passels of annuals because they bloom all summer and give her joy.

I am a mix of all three. I long for tidy, well-placed, easy-to-maintain plantings — and I did get closer to that in a flowerbed I overhauled this spring. There is still a lot of “wildness” in my yard, which is fun but could use some restraining. But I love the bright cheeriness of flowers, and my neighbours tell me they enjoy what I’ve planted as well.

I also love wildflowers.

Outside the city on the long weekend, I marvelled at the variety I saw, just in the colour yellow. As I looked closely at one, I discovered the configuration of five round petals created a star in the centre. As I looked more closely, I noticed another star within the star. What design!

Do you ever wonder why there are so many kinds of beautiful flowers?

It’s like God went a little crazy. I can just imagine his delight, both in the sheer joy of creating them all, and in the anticipation of our own joy in discovering each one.

Do you know what else flowers tell us? They remind us not to worry. Well, you probably have to read the Bible to get that connection.

In Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount, he asked his listeners why they worry about having enough clothes and food, and why they chase after those things. He told them to look at the lilies (have you seen the lilies this year?!), who do nothing to make themselves that way, yet kings are not dressed as splendorously. And then Jesus says this:

“…if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’…your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.” (Matthew 6:30-32, New Living Translation).

These days, it is natural to worry about paying the bills and having enough to get by. Maybe we need to stop and smell the roses — take note of the signs around us — reminding us that we are not alone. The one who is responsible for the amazing design and beauty around us (flowers!) will take care of us. We just need to trust.

Sonya Braun
Springfield North community correspondent

Sonya Braun is a community correspondent for Springfield North.

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