| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| sunshine |
Posted - May 07 2009 : 05:03:29 AM
I am a florist as some of you know ( well for a little while longer I have given notice and my last day is on the 14th)
the following story was sent to me by my best friend from my childhood just thought I would share
story
Sandra felt as low as the heels of her shoes when she pulled open the florist shop door, against a November gust of wind. Her life had been as sweet as a spring breeze and then, in the fourth month of her second pregnancy, a "minor" automobile accident stole her joy. This was Thanksgiving week and the time she should have delivered their infant son. She grieved over their loss
Troubles had multiplied. Her husband's company "threatened" to transfer his job to a new location. Her sister had called to say that she could not come for her long awaited holiday visit. What's worse, Sandra's friend suggested that Sandra's grief was a God-given path to maturity that would allow her to empathize with others who suffer."
She has no idea what I'm feeling," thought Sandra with a shudder "Thanksgiving? Thankful for what?" she wondered.. "For a careless driver whose truck was hardly scratched when he rear-ended me? For an airbag that saved my life, but took my child's?" "Good afternoon, can I help you?" Sandra was startled by the approach of the shop clerk. "I . . . I need an arrangement," stammered Sandra.
"For Thanksgiving? I'm convinced that flowers tell stories, " she continued.. "Are you looking for something that conveys 'gratitude' this Thanksgiving?"
"Not exactly!" Sandra blurted out. "In the last five months, everything that could go wrong has gone wrong."
Sandra regretted her outburst, and was surprised when the clerk said, "I have the perfect arrangement for you."
Then the bell on the door rang, and the clerk greeted the new customer....
"Hi, Barbara, let me get your order." She excused herself and walked back to a small workroom, then quickly reappeared, carrying an arrangement of greenery, bows, and what appeared to be long-stemmed thorny roses. Except the ends of the rose stems were neatly snipped; there were no flowers.
"Do you want these in a box?" asked the clerk. Sandra watched was this a joke? Who would want rose stems with no flowers! She waited for laughter, but neither woman laughed.
"Yes, please," Barbara replied with an appreciative smile. "You'd think after three years of getting the special, I wouldn't be so moved by its significance, but I can feel it right here, all over again," she said, as she gently tapped her chest.
Sandra stammered, "Ah, that lady just left with . . . uh . . . she left with no flowers!"
That's right," said the clerk. "I cut off the flowers. That's the 'Special'. I call it the Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet. Barbara came into the shop three years ago, feeling much as you do today," explained the clerk. " She thought she had very little to be thankful for. She had just lost her father; the family business was failing; her son had gotten into drugs; and she was facing major surgery. That same year I had lost my husband," continued the clerk. "For the first time in my life, I had to spend the holidays alone. I had no children, no husband, no family nearby, and too much debt to allow any travel."
"So what did you do?" asked Sandra.
"I learned to be thankful for thorns," answered the clerk quietly.
"I've always thanked God for the good things in my life and I never questioned Him why those good things happened to me, but when the bad stuff hit, I cried out, 'Why? Why me?!' It took time for me to learn that the dark times are important to our faith! I have always enjoyed the 'flowers' of my life, but it took the thorns to show me the beauty of God's comfort! You know, the Bible says that God comforts us when we're afflicted, and from His consolation we learn to comfort others."
Sandra sucked in her breath, as she thought about what her friend had tried to tell her. "I guess the truth is I don't want comfort. I've lost a baby and I'm angry with God."
Just then someone else walked in the shop.
"Hey, Phil!" the clerk greeted the balding, rotund man.
"My wife sent me in to get our usual Thanksgiving arrangement, twelve thorny, long-stemmed stems!" laughed Phil as the clerk handed him a tissue wrapped arrangement from the refrigerator.
"Those are for your wife?" asked Sandra incredulously. "Do you mind telling me why she wants a bouquet that looks like that?"
"Four years ago, my wife and I nearly divorced," Phil replied. "After forty years, we were in a real mess, but with the Lord's grace and guidance, we trudged through problem after problem, the Lord rescued our marriage. Jenny here (the clerk) told me she kept a vase of rose stems to remind her of what she had learned from "thorny" times. That was good enough for me. I took home some of those stems. My wife and I decided to label each
one for a specific "problem" and give thanks for what that problem taught us."
As Phil paid the clerk, he said to Sandra, "I highly recommend the Special!"
"I don't know if I can be thankful for the thorns in my life" Sandra said to the clerk. "It's all too . . fresh."
"Well," the clerk replied carefully, "my experience has shown me that the thorns make the roses more precious. We treasure God's providential care more during trouble than at any other time. Remember that it was a crown of thorns that Jesus wore so we might know His love.... Don't resent the thorns."
Tears rolled down Sandra's cheeks. For the first time since the accident, she loosened her grip on her resentment. "I'll take those twelve long-stemmed thorns, please," she managed to choke out.
"I hoped you would," said the clerk gently. "I'll have them ready in a minute."
"Thank you. What do I owe you?"
"Nothing. Nothing but a promise to allow God to heal your heart... The first year's arrangement is always on me."
The clerk smiled and handed a card to Sandra. "I'll attach this card to your arrangement, but maybe you would like to read it first."
It read:
"My God, I have never thanked You for my thorns. I have thanked You a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorns. Teach me the glory of the cross I bear; teach me the value of my thorns. Show me that I have climbed closer to You along the path of pain. Show me that, through my tears, the colors of Your rainbow look much more brilliant."
Praise Him for the roses; thank Him for the thorns.
God Bless all of you. Be thankful for all that the Lord does for you.
"Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly, and leave the rest to God.."
We often try to fix problems with WD-40 and Duct tape.
God did it with nails.
have a lovely day and may God bless you and keep you safe
Farmgirl Sister #115
my bloghttp://sunshinescreations.vintagethreads.com/
my web store vintage threadshttp://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=79144 |
| 6 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| KayB |
Posted - May 08 2009 : 08:44:18 AM
I need to give this to a little gal at our church. We recently had a dear friend die and she is taking it really hard and maybe this will help her move forward. She cannot understand why God would take this person and put her through so much in the process. Our friend was diagnosed with a very rare cancer less than a year ago and she died the Saturday before Easter. While everyone was discussing it during our women's group meeting on Wednesday, she was sobbing and all I could think about was the story of Job and all he was put through, but he kept his faith as did Jeanette in the end. Maybe this will help Little Missy and give her some peace.
Thank you so much.
KayB
Life's a dance you learn as you go |
| acairnsmom |
Posted - May 07 2009 : 9:42:04 PM
What a great story! I too am going through a rough patch right now, and this spoke to my hurting heart. Like Karen I know it could be so much worse but I've been wallowing in my problems which we all know creates even more problems. I vowed the other day to start looking for the joy I feel I've misplaced and God is graciously showing it to me again. Thank you for sharing this.
Audrey
Toto, we're not in Kansas any more! |
| Miss2Missus |
Posted - May 07 2009 : 5:29:52 PM
i'm going through some what of a rough spot right now, and though i know it could be worse i'm at the point where i am riddled with worry.
it seems at every turn i find something along the lines of this story, and each new one is easing me some and helping me to understand.
thank you.
Karen ^_^
http://apple-and-eve.blogspot.com/ |
| Ingrid |
Posted - May 07 2009 : 1:24:34 PM
That is a beautiful story. Thank you for sharing.
Give thanks to yourself everyday for all the wonderful things you do! |
| ruralfarmgirl |
Posted - May 07 2009 : 07:16:48 AM
SO beautifully written, too!
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl #185
http://www.maryjanesfarm.com/RFBlog/
www.twitter.com/RuralFarmgirl
Circumstances made us FRIENDS; MaryJane's has made us SISTERS :) |
| Diane B Carter |
Posted - May 07 2009 : 05:32:49 AM
What a nice story, Thanks for sharing.
Hope all your days are Sunnydays.
dianebcarterhotmailcom.blogspot.com |
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