My grandmother loved the outdoors. She was a country girl at heart. Doing what she knew from her parents and passing it on to her five children, eight grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren. I remember at the farm house in West Texas the quilting frame that would hang above the ceiling and how she would work on a quilt. I loved the wedding quilt and other quilts she made for me and others in the family.
The smell of beans cooking on the stove with ham hock, fried okra and cornbread always left an impression. Holidays were my favorite times with her. The divinity, fudge and most of all, homemade peanut brittle was to die for. Grandmothers just seem to have the knack and the right touches in bringing the best flavors out in food. I believe the right spice that went into each of her creations was her love.
We can focus on the negativity of life or we can focus on the positive. Being bombarded with media, technology and the social environments can sway our perceptions to the negative side of things. We can let events like divorce, devastations or even death, cause us to place blame on God. If we do not have healthy thinking we can become bitter and in turn poison others around us with bitterness.
Forgiveness is the spice that adds flavor to see the world in its beauty. Every week that I would call my grandmother, she would always end the call by saying she loved me and her famous quote, “Steven, thank you so much for my flowers for today.” Not that my words were flowery; I always cherished knowing a little time for her made her appreciate the “flowers”.
Life is like a rose. One can be negative and see only the thorns and miss out on the entire beauty. There is more beauty in life through the petals and fragrance of the entire rose. Set your sights above on the beauty rather than on the thorns of life. Life can be a bed of petals, you forget the pricks, but always remember the fragrance and beauty. This is how you overcome negativity: Stop and smell the roses and don't cross the boundary that could bring you pain.
We can celebrate the death of the body or we can celebrate our eternal spirits. I rather celebrate life (physical and spiritual). Understanding that life is a gift and the Present (today) is always something we can appreciate along with the anticipation of tomorrow. Roses have thorns, but we are always willing to appreciate their beauty. If we can appreciate roses and overlook the thorns, how much more can we appreciate life and over look the thorns in our own life.
Celebrate life and enjoy the fragrance of those who enter into your life. May you be blessed today and before it is too late forgive and provide love to those around you. Life is too short not too appreciate the “flowers of today.”
In loving memory of my grandparents: Irene Hudgins (07-08-1923 - 04-02-2012) and my grandfather Jack Hudgins (06-10-1916 - 03-18-1966). My last memory will be them walking in heaven hand in hand. Those are my flowers of today.
By Faith (Forging Attitude In Trusting Him)
