Fragrant Surprise
My mother-in-law had a massive, lush, hoya wax plant and gave me a cutting from it. It was during my macramé days, so I made a hanging plant holder and put it in the southeast kitchen window in our tiny, three bedroom, one bath bungalow. It was such a great place to live and raise my children, and the plant concurred as it grew massive and lush, just like hers had been.
When we sold the house and moved, somehow the plant got left behind. It was sad not to have that with me as I moved from place to place in Indiana. I wondered whatever happened to the plant belonging to my mother-in-law, a dear sweet woman whom I cared for until she died from brain cancer.
A church member, Cathy, I discovered had an identical plant from her grandmother. Seeing it brought back memories of our Detroit home. I asked for a cutting from it; my first blush with it failed, but the second time the planting just took off.
It surprised me how it became so massive on top of the refrigerator, sending tendrils out high above, growing behind pictures and coming out the other side. Another branch reached towards the window where I sat, yet another braided itself with a sibling, and one moved behind the bulletin board on the wall. It reminded me of the movie "Little Shop of Horrors", both eerie and amazing. I never knew where it would go and grow.
Moving it, since I had to get a new refrigerator, I noticed two pink blooms hiding behind luxurious leaves. It was the plant’s flowers that sent off a very fragrant perfume. What an amazing surprise. I had wondered what smelled so good in the apartment especially at night.
Every time I see it, I repeat the Bible verse in Ephesians 5:2 - "And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." Thank you, plant, for a reminder of God's great love for us and how I need to share that with others, as you have shared your surprise, that beautiful, fragrant offering with me.
Let us be a fragrant offering to God by how we live and grow our lives!
