As a lover of wildflowers, I move now to share with you something that has uplifted my recent days. On the day before Lockdown my daughter Lisa went to a funeral of the sister of her friend from Plymouth. When she came back home, she gave me six packets of seeds and on the packet were these words: “Let wildflowers grow in all the places I could not and every time you see them flower think of me.” Then it added, “Please scatter these seeds in memory of Del.”
I planted them in twenty small pots and spread the others in a part of the ground which needed weeding. I then watered the pots and after a week or two some little green shoots were seen and gradually, we saw some strong green plants but no flowers. They were overgrowing the small pots so then I transplanted them into the old plastic dog basket with a prayer that they would survive. Then, about ten days ago, there were signs of small white flowers and following, day by day, different flowers popped up and we now have corn flowers, lesser spear wort, fox and cubs, sand wort, ox eye daisies, willow herb, dog rose and others.
What a lovely way for the family and friends to remember their loved one.
PRAYER TIME
AMAZING GOD we praise You for all the ways You help us to cope with sadness. As it says in Psalm 30 v. 11 “You turned my sorrow into joy!”Today Lord we are facing more sadness as thousands of people are losing their jobs and are afraid of the future because they will be unable to feed their children and some families are already in that situation.
Lord, You know that many people have died because of the pandemic and are distraught because they have not been able to be with their loved ones as they died. FATHER GOD, we place all of those people into Your hands.
LOVING GOD, we have heard that You overturn the bad to make it good. When Mary was told that she would give birth to Jesus, the Angel Gabriel said, “Do not be afraid, for nothing is impossible with God.”
FORGIVING GOD, during recent days people have made choices which were against the law and in doing so have made danger for other people. We all at times fail to follow the way Jesus Christ showed us how to live and how to show our love for one another. Lord we ask for forgiveness for our wrong choices in the name of Jesus Christ our Saviour.
CREATING GOD, we thank You for the abundance of wildflowers in the countryside as well as the varieties of beautiful flowers in our gardens and in hanging pots in our cities and towns.
CARING GOD, we ask help for the problems made by COVID-19. For instance, that the children can return to school safely and that the teachers will be ready to restart lessons for them. We pray too that if another spike occurs, the NHS will be able to cope with those who are ill and have all that is necessary to keep the doctors, nurses and carers safe.
FATHER GOD all our prayers are in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ who gave us the Holy Spirit to intercede in our weaknesses and our choices. We reach out for the hands of God to hold us in safety. AMEN
