“Flowers are good for the Earth AND for the Soul” Heidi Richards Mooney
Remember when you were a school girl (or boy as the case may be) and your teacher gave you a project of planting a seed in a paper cup? I do, I think the first time we did that was in 1st grade and the nuns (did I mention I’m a recovering Catholic? *SMILE) gave each student a paper cup, and some seeds which I don’t even recall what they were. We marched outside to the school yard, hoes in hand and began digging up the earth so we could put the dirt in our humble paper cups, add seeds, a little water and then wait. We waited for what seemed like eternity (probably only a few days in adult time) as the paper cups sprouted little green leaves. I remember how proud I was of that little plant… that I (and God) could actually create a living thing! In fact, it is probably the only good memory I have of Catholic School. This is, I am sure what started my love, awe and respect for flowers.
According to the National Gardening Association, gardening is one of the nation’s most popular pastimes. One in four Americans says that gardening is a real hobby or interest of theirs. About one in four spends four or more hours per week tending lawns, flowers, and vegetables. It makes me wonder how it is around the world? In some parts the numbers are probably much higher!
It got me thinking about how flowers affect us in such profound ways.
In Honor of Earth Day and Plant a Flower day….. Here’s a story Gloria Mount shared on the WIN network on RYZE Social network shared about how flowers have impacted her life:
THE FAMILY ROSE by Gloria Mount
Elizabeth is standing along side of what we are now calling, “The Family Rose”, at our home in California.
It was just a nice little red rose bush, to begin with and suddenly, it has taken on a life of its own.
It began with Liz’s wedding back in December 2004. The morning of her wedding, for various reasons, I was not able to attend her “original” ceremony. That morning, when I went to get the morning paper, I was heavy hearted.
Then I noticed this red rose, in full bloom….in the dead of winter, the only plant in the garden blooming. I was amazed, but knew the Lord was comforting me.
Come February 2005, the morning of my Mother-In-Law’s funeral….suddenly in our barren rose garden was this Red-Rose in full bloom!!! We cut it and took it with us to the services.
When Baby Luke was born, Oct. 2005 there was this Red-Rose!!
December 2005 when Christina was here for Christmas holidays, the day we took her to her Grandma’s grave site….here was this red-rose in full bloom!! We cut it and Chris put it on Grandma Mount’s lovely grave.
Now, May 2006, the morning of Liz’s Bday. I walked outside and saw 2 brilliant red buds….by the time we came back from her Bday breakfast…there was the Red Rose, in full bloom !!!!
Now, I’m wondering how Christina came to name her website….Cyerra Rose…I’m sure Chris wasn’t thinking of our roses here in Whittier….but “Some One” had guided her heart and mind.
As I’m writing this, the connection, now is amazing.
Cyerra Rose was always a beautiful name, but, now it all makes sense with our “Family Red Rose”.
God loves to delight us!!!!
If you’d like to stop by Gloria’s page and say HI and thank her for her story, it’s here: http://www.ryze.com/go/Italianmamma
In case you’d like to read about the other benefits, check out a post I wrote last month entitled “NATURES BENEFITS” at http://tulipstalk.wordpress.com/2008/03/12/natures-benefits/
And if you like flower humor, here’s one for you:
What did the bee say to the flower?
“Hey bud, when do you open?
Time to get out the shovel … Happy Plant a Flower Day!
Heidi
This annual event was originally organized in 1952 as “National Secretaries Week” by the National Secretaries Association (now known as the International Association of Administrative Professionals) in conjunction with public relations executive Harry Klemfuss and a consortium of office product manufacturers. It was established as an effort to recognize secretaries for their contributions in the workplace, and to attract people to secretarial/administrative careers. 
