Falling Flower Petals

By Sharon Chiellini

The once flourishing and vibrantly colorful flowers on my dining room table had begun to lose the fight with death over the past few days and started dropping their petals one at a time like sands in an hourglass. There were now more petals on the table than on the stems and I knew they were soon doomed for the trash barrel. I really hated to see them go. My sistah friend Tracy brought them with her to a get together we had here a couple of weeks ago and they have been a cheerful centerpiece for our family meal table ever since. But their time was up, their usefulness had past and their beauty had faded. Ouch! Hitting a little too close to home for this forty something housewife!

At my age, yes, even falling flower petals can make you tear up. If you are over 40 you know exactly what I mean and if you are under forty, your time will come. Anyway, I had pity on the dead flowers and I let them keep their place in the center of my table even though they were bald and scraggly. I had become attached to them. If I had thought it would actually work I would have glued their petals back on, but get real, who has time for that?

Early this morning as I shuffled into the kitchen and proceded to get my morning brew going, I dumped the old coffee grounds into the trash and was startled to see my dead flowers staring up at me from the depths of the trash barrel. "wimper". Apparently, hubby is not a fan of bald scraggly flowers. Dead flowers in the trash? Yes they made me tear up, but also inspired me to write this post, so all is not lost. It's all about finding your motovation, so if dead flowers motivate me...and you...to be more productive today, then I am thankful for dead flowers.

Ephesians 5:15-17
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

When I picture a flower whose petals are dropping in slow mo, it makes me think of how limited our time is here on earth and how much quicker time goes by the older we get. It gives me a renewed sense of urgency. We all have a limited number of petals and once they fall, you can't glue them back on!

We all have the same number of minutes and hours in a day so how come it seems like some people accomplish so much more than others with the same amount of time? I have been very self conscious lately of how I spend my time and have been trying to make the most of it. But most importantly I have been praying for the Lord to give me direction and focus when it comes to not only my time, but my talents and my heart as well. Sometimes we let our hearts get wrapped up in the wrong things. Not necessarily ugly or yucky stuff, but things that merely distract us from what we really should be focusing on. Whatever the desires of your heart are, that's what your time and talents will get sucked into as well. Just picture a vacume sucking up your flower petals! Ugh! Pull the plug!

Matthew 6:20 & 21

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by my blog and share this moment with me. You are just like a beautiful, vibrantly colorful flower and no matter what lies the enemy has told you, you are precious and priceless in God's sight. He loves you and earnestly seeks to have a closer relationship with you. My prayer for you is that you open your heart to all that He desires to give you, salvation, peace, wisdom, freedom, forgiveness, whatever your heart needs today, He holds the key. He is mighty to save.

Until next time my friend.
Strength and honor in Christ

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