FlowersGods Delightful Gift to Man WHOSE heart is not gladdened at the sight of a flower?

A bouquet of roses can immediately brighten up a day, cheer a gloomy face, lift a depressed heart, even cause friendship to sprout and love to flourish. In the spring who can pass a body of water, its surface glistening with the beauty of the water lily, without some appreciation of life itself? Or in the fall who can walk through a field decorated with the brilliance of purple asters and gleams of the goldenrod without feeling enriched? What window has not been beautified, or kitchen enhanced, or living room transformed by the presence of lovely, delicate flowers or plants? Men have referred to them as the stars of the earth, the smiles of Gods goodness, an autograph from the hand of God. Flowers, said the English statesman William Wilberforce, are Gods thoughts of beauty, taking form to gladden mortal gaze;bright gems of earth, in which, perchance, we see what Eden waswhat Paradise may be! How much less pleasant the earth would be without flowers! Jesus Christ appreciated the presence of plants and flowers on this earth. He observed them closely and drew meaningful lessons from them. To his disciples he said: Take a lesson from the lilies of the field, how they are growing; they do not toil, nor do they spin; but I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these. If, now, God thus clothes the vegetation of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much rather clothe you, you with little faith? (Matt. 6:28-30) To Christ, flowers told of Gods constant care. What do flowers mean to you? To many men and women flowers are more than creations of decorative beauty. They are delicate living things that excite the imagination. They inspire faith in God and cause thanksgiving and praise to flow to him. The fragile shapes of flowers and infinite colors of perfection reveal a God sensitive to human needs and emotions. Think of it, said a housewife, we may touch a flower and it may die, still that same flower is sturdy enough to survive a rainstorm unharmed! Its simply wonderful. In an interview she spoke of flowers as meaning many things: warm affection, understanding, appreciation and, perhaps most of all, tender love. She liked flowers.