Cosmos: The Universe Seen as a Well-Ordered Whole

I'm not sure why the flower, named Cosmos, was named such.   It is one of my favorites, all colors of them.  Especially white and this orange variety.

I took these photos last August and the sun was pretty perfect in the Tank Garden when I took them.  I gathered this basket full of just the blossoms to dry them and keep them in a jar.  I've read somewhere that you can use them for dye.  Plus, they are just really, really neat and I like jars full of neat things.  

This morning as I found the photos and decided to post them here, a connection to the Cosmos came to me.  I love Metaphors.  The metaphors in life that connect us and help us understand the greater truths in Christ just blow. me. away.  Truly.  They speak to me strongly and I sit in awe.  

There is an order to the Universe and we can be part of it.  The metaphors we see are little Parables.  Little bits that are more easily understood, more digestible, to use the words of my daughter, Bonnie.

So what was the metaphor that I saw in these photos?  

The abundance that can occur, that can grow from sharing even just a small seed in generosity.

Almost 6 years ago, I posted about my now 92 year old gardening friend.  I met her in 2013.  She has shared her knowledge and her zest for life on two garden visits now.  She has also shared her seeds and plant cuttings.  Our visits are sparse and brief really, but what I have gained from her....abundance.

She has shared her passion for politics, her zest for the small things in life, her heart for what some may call small things, but are really big things, her garden knowledge, her confidence in who she is, and generously, seeds and plants. 

And it keeps giving.  I have shared seeds that I have saved from the plants of the seeds that she gave me. Her sharing has given me this post on God's abundance.

Absolute overflowing abundance.  

That is what happens when we give generously.

A life metaphor from tiny cosmos seeds, shared out of generous love from the beauty a woman saw in a flower.  From her awe in the Creator who made the seed. 

Be sure to read my first post about her here.  I also have the Cypress plants blooming here and have been saving and sharing seeds from it too. 

The metaphor continues:

Every year when I plant seeds, it's the hardest thing to do.  I know some will grow, but it's so hard to take the time to fiddle with the little seeds and worry that they won't grow.  I would much rather plant already growing plants.  But there is beauty in the process too.  The struggle, overcoming the fear that I've planted them incorrectly.  Will we get enough sun to germinate them?  Can I keep them moist enough?  Can I identify them when the markers fade or blow away because that's hard to do too?  My back and legs hurt from being on my knees.  Our ground is clumpy and not great soil.  Can I patiently wait for the blooms? 

Again...it's metaphor...all the worries in life...raising children...especially in almost all we encounter and hope for, can I patiently wait??

Find Your Peace Within

Peace is always a quest, isn't it?

What do you want most from life?  

A path to Heaven for my family and myself  (and everyone else!) and peace.

When you look out at others, what they are doing, what they have, it gets a bit hard to find the peace you desire.  The other day when I was up close in the blossoms of the flowering crab trees, it was so beautiful and peaceful within the branches and I was reminded of this truth.

Peace can only be found from within, where Christ dwells in you.  

Why is that where it's found with Him?

Because that is the only place where you are fully known.  Within, by Him.

And, that is a pretty wonderful place to be.

♥

Sunday Vibes

Spring Blossoms ♥

I've seemed to have briefly lost my way in photography and photo editing. I am seeing how a person can let outside influences affect you interiorly in surprising ways.

The depth and nuances are too much for a blog post. 

So, I'll just say, that it's my hope to return to picture taking with my Nikon.

The flowering crabs were just gorgeous yesterday and the sun was perfect to highlight the blossoms!

When you get right up in the blossoms to smell them and to take in the little details, the experience is very different than just looking at them from a distance.

One of my daughters was outside when I began taking pictures and I called her over.

To get up close and personal with the blossoms so to speak. :) 

It was great that she could see without my prompting, that there were shadows in the little parts of the blossoms from the sun.  

So many details that we miss.

We have two varieties of flowering Crab Apple Trees.

Good thing I don't have to choose a favorite.  The white one however has sent out quite a few "volunteers" which is a huge bonus!

~ Happy Springtime ~

♥