Dramatic Dahlia

And from His fulness we have all received, grace upon grace. – John 1:16

I noticed it in the neighbor’s yard near Mom’s house – a giant flower blooming upon a single tall stem. It was unlike any cultivated flower I’d ever seen.  Peach in color, it had straight, pointed dense petals that radiated up and out to result in a huge blossom the size of a dinner plate.

Although this immense bloom stood near other flowering shrubs, its dramatic size captured the onlooker’s gaze. I’d never seen anyone working in the yard but was tempted to knock upon the door just to find out the variety of this stunning stroke of nature.

You can imagine my surprise the next afternoon, after walking through Mom’s rec room and climbing the six steps to the kitchen to find that very same flower standing in a vase on the kitchen table. The aide stood at the counter preparing an afternoon snack for Mom, and she filled me in.

On their daily walk, Mom and her aide had shared friendly conversation several times with the neighbor in whose yard the flower grew. It was he who had picked this masterpiece and chosen to bestow it upon my sweet, Alzheimer’s-stricken mother. The gardener gave the best flower of all to Mom.

Lord, thank you for choosing the most fragile among us to receive the greatest graces.

Reflect: Can you think of a time when someone brought you flowers or fresh garden produce?  Think about the fragrance or the taste, appreciating God’s goodness in those moments

The above selection is Entry #37 in Part IV: Summer Daze of Minding Mom: A Caregiver’s Devotional Story by Lisa Livezey (© 2024, En Route Books and Media)

Minding Mom: A Caregiver’s Devotional Story by Lisa Livezey | En Route Books and Media