Petunia

Petunia

Welcome to Christianity Oasis. This is Petunia from our Sojourn With Luz Leigh Collection. We hope you enjoy this enlightening reading and it helps you on your own be-YOU-tiful Christian walk.

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Sojourn With Luz Leigh

Petunia

Written by Luz Leigh - 07 July 2008

As I walked to the mailbox about a month ago, I noticed a little pink petunia plant blooming near the yard's edge. I have not had petunias in years, if ever. But here was this little plant standing all alone. Reminded me of the song my mother would sometimes sing about a lonely little petunia in an onion patch. I remember nothing more from that song ... just those words "I'm a lonely little petunia in an onion patch." When my son was mowing the yard after we first noticed the little flower, he was careful not to shred it down. The petunia reminds me of the word "gentleness" which I always think of as strength under control. Though delicate my petunia is strong.

My daddy always had petunias growing in his gardens ... said they helped keep certain insects from destroying his vegetable plants. Many years after Daddy died, I happened to notice in an area that would have been his "north" garden, were some petunias growing. My younger son and his wife were living on the property at that time. I commented to her about how appropriate I thought it was for her to have planted petunias in the same spot my daddy had grown them. With a puzzled look, she said, "I didn't plant those; they just came up there." Wow, did I get chills. It had been close to a quarter of a century since last my daddy had tended a garden there.

When I noticed the lonely little petunia in my yard, I thought of that incident. Is this little plant here to remind me of something? Since I have been watching the little plant as it continues to put forth pink blossoms, we have had hard rain, strong winds, burning Texas summer sunshine, and now days without rain. It continues to stand strong ... and alone.

Being alone isn't always unheard of. Take Jacob for instance. In Genesis we are told of the night he wrestled with the angel of the Lord and then fell asleep, alone. After Jesus had fed the 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two small fishes, he went alone up on a mountain to pray and refresh His spirit. Also when he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, He went alone. To a degree John the Apostle was alone when he was exiled to the small isle of Patmos where he wrote what we now know as "The Revelation."

Although these men mentioned were alone, they were strong. Just as the little flower has strength to have withstood the ravages of some harsh weather, the men drew their strength from the Lord. Jacob was used by the Lord to be a great Israelite leader; John gave us the book that tells of sin's end and satan's defeat. And of course, Jesus Christ used His strength to face a humiliating physical death and then to conquer death through His resurrection.

So as I pass the little petunia each day, it is a constant reminder that I am never truly "alone" for I have my Savior from whom I gain strength to face each day. I do spend a large amount of my waking hours "alone," by choice, during which time I read His Word, type my thoughts onto the computer screen and maybe talk to friends or family on the phone. During those quiet times, I can reflect on what I have read or recall what the pastor spoke about in his sermon.

To me, the words alone and strong are personified by the petunia.

May we all learn from this delicate creation of the Father.

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