by Dawn Smiling

We are now in the month of 1-800 Flowers, Hallmark, teddy bears and balloons. February 14th is the day of love. A day to say I love you. This is the day where as young ladies and women, we might expect to receive flowers and candy. We are hoping that true love will show itself. If you are married, you dare your husband to forget. If you are single, you are praying he doesn’t forget. But, if you don’t have that certain someone in your life, you are wondering if you will ever see roses and candy. Lord, give me a sign.

I think the rose is one of the most beautiful flowers. I love the color of roses and their meanings: The red rose: True Love and Romance The Yellow rose: Friendship, Joy, and a wish for Get Well The Lavender Rose: Enchantment, Majesty, Love at First Sight The Pink Rose: Love, Gratitude, Appreciation The White Rose: Purity, Innocence, Sympathy, Spirituality The Orange Rose: Desire, Enthusiasm, and Passion There are things you have to do for your flowers to live longer. You must check your flowers daily, re-cut the stems, change the water, and set your flowers in a cool place. There are also things we should do to keep our love relationship with God strong. Our prayer life keeps our petitions before him and our worship fresh. As we read our word daily, our Heavenly Father will speak to us. This past month, Pastor Craig has been teaching us the beauty of praying for the Holy Spirit to guide us and give us an ear to hear what God is saying. Flowers will eventually change color and die. No matter what we do, the flower will eventually die. But the love of God will never die. After two weeks, the flowers may end up in the trash bin, but God is with us until the end. God’s love extends longer than Valentine Day. What a comforting thought.

For me, I think the most important characteristic of the flower, is not the color, but the petals. For me, petals signify the different phases a woman goes through in life. One petal may be true love in full abundance. Another petal may signify a period of hurt and pain. A petal may be showing a period of disappointment that may enter one’s life. And another petal may signify a new beginning. I see every petal as a different adventure our life brings us into. And where would we be without the thorns? Even when the rose is in full bloom, the thorns are still there. We hardly pay attention to the thorns, while looking and smelling the beautiful rose. This is our walk with God. Each day, God does new things through us. We embrace new challenges, and we climb mountains against all odds. Yet, God covers the thorns of disappointment, the thorns of sin, the thorns of setbacks, and the thorns of tears. As we remain united with God, he covers the thorns that may be lodged in our sides. Jesus covered it all.

I am not sure where you are in your life this month. If you are married, I pray that God will bless the petal of love between you and your husband and give you the strength to love him in spite of every challenge. If you are single and dating, I pray that God is the center petal of your relationship. Pray for your man that he will grow in the grace of God and the love of God. Maybe you are still waiting for the right one to come along. I pray that you say these words; God has not brought him into my life yet because God is still working on me and working on him, but God made me a promise and he is coming. Maybe you lost the love of your life through death or divorce. I pray you stay close to God and trust your moments to him. God is able to fill every void and restore with a love that is everlasting. I have experienced many of these petals and God has remained faithful to my life. But I found the greatest love of all inside of me, the love of God. Allow the petals of your life to bring love, comfort, and a word from the Lord to one of your Beautiful sisters this month, and every day. God Bless You.

What does a flower symbolize to you?

Dawn Smiling enjoys volunteering at Grace Family Church as a prayer counselor, part of the soul care ministry, and as a table leader for Beautiful Monday Nights.