Tulips and Sunflowers

When people need some perspective, there's a reason the saying, "Stop and smell the roses," gets passed along. Think about how wonderful this world is! To me, one of the biggest evidences of a God, especially a God that loves His children, is flowers.

From the time I was young, my dad and I took care of our family gardens. In autumn we planted tulip bulbs, so they could sleep through the winter and poke their sleepy heads out in the spring sunshine. Once the tulips said goodnight again, we'd plant a colorful mixture of petunias, marigolds, and snap dragons. We'd also tend tomato, zucchini, pumpkin, and pepper plants. To say that these are some of my happiest memories is an understatement! 

When I was thirteen I started planting sunflowers on the south side of our home, where the sunshine was abundant and nothing else grew. They went wild. Now every year the sunflowers come up, and many of them top thirteen feet tall! They attract swarms of tiny, colorful finches who munch on their seeds.

Out of all the beautiful flowers, tulips and sunflowers have to be my favorite. One is a spring flower, one is a summer, but both are reminders to slow down and enjoy this life. When I see a field of tulips or sunflowers, I absolutely can say I believe in miracles.