As I drove home today I noticed the Hollyhocks …..They seem to have taken up residence in every yard on Beverly Road…….their tall heads sticking out of hedges and up next to houses, even visible from backyards, just wherever that wild seed landed. A beautiful profusion of pinks, whites and burgundies. Ahhhh! Most who live here have no idea where the seed came from.
The first year I noticed the beautiful stalks along my neighbor’s fence was 1974. Our two neighbors were the first to take up residence on Beverly Road. The oldest resident, Pate Phillips built his house in the 30s and Bob’s family came a few years later. Pate liked to lean over the fence and share his life philosophy with me. He believed all roads led to God. and I believed (still do)……Jesus is the only way to the Father………. So back to my musings……..
On the other side, Bob Powley grew a beautiful vegetable garden, with a penchant for one flower, the Hollyhock. The Hollyhocks bordered his fences amassing into other areas each spring. I remember how I loved to walk out on my balcony any time of the day and view their fleeting beauty….
Bob and I often discussed our Lord, he from his staunch Southern Baptist view and me from my ever changing experiences which included my Nazarene beliefs all the way to the Kingdom Now message. Always a lively over the fence conversation…….lol
One summer day I was working in my yard and noticed Bob was cutting down his Hollyhock stalks. I yelled over, the Hollyhocks were sure beautiful this year. He walked over and handed me one of the dried stalks and said; here, now you can grow your own. He turned and as if to show me what to do, whipped the stalks he was holding into the air and said, now everyone will have some. We both laughed at the thought.
Pate died in the 80s and in the 90s, Bob met and married a lovely lady which took him to the state of Washington. With pleasant memories I think of them both, knowing we will meet again.
Today, when I noticed the Hollyhocks showing up all over the street, I felt a whisper from the Lord. Look honey, look what one mans seed planting did. A peace flooded me as I realized again the wind (holy spirit) blows wherever it wants to go…taking seed with it. The seed when buried in the earth goes through a most amazing change .....the outside covering rots away and falls off allowing the life inside to break free. It just naturally heads to the sunshine..……
Bob understood about seed both natural and spiritual........as the years pass I get more and more revelation concerning the spiritual kind......such a mystery is unfolding.......I am sometimes amazed that this earth is such a fertile mystery, only those who have been given eyes can see it.........well, it's been nice chatting over the fence with you...
LOL
Love,
Joian
John 12
24Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
Mark 4
26And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; 27And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
And so it is, as in Adam all died……So in Christ shall ALL be made ALIVE!!!!
