I've been having issues with one of my children, and on most days, I feel like I want to sit down in the middle of my kitchen floor and start weeping because I am so tired of playing child therapist. Seriously, there's a lot of drama in this house filled with five daughters and a hormonal mama! But there's something about this child that just screams "Eeyore"! God showed my early on that this child was going to be different; that she was going to need special care and attention.
Over the years, though, I have forgotten that word that I received from the Lord. My daughter's name is 'Lily'. I didn't want to name her that. She was supposed to be 'Riley'. But, my husband loved the name Lily, and I didn't want to name her something he wasn't totally on board with. So, Lily it was.
God had a sweet story woven into her name.
She was a colicky baby, and she grew into a very stubborn and angry two year old. Lily was one of those babies that had to have the fold of her socks a certain way, and the texture and fit of a shirt exactly how she wanted it, and if it wasn't exactly how she wanted it, she would make sure I knew how unhappy she was. Lily was my sweet girl who almost died on me after drinking lamp oil. She was the girl who spent 3 nights in the hospital with pneumonia.
But she is the girl with intense and almost painful compassion. She feels things. Her beauty is captivating and breathtaking.
I was crying out to God one day,(I'm sure after a meltdown and fit of some sort), and I really felt like He was telling me to research the care of a lily. In my searching, God met me and showed me that my girl was different and her needs could not be changed or looked over. In my research, I learned that, with proper care, a lily will grow into a beautiful flower that keeps coming back year after year.
First in care for a lily is planting it where it will receive full sunshine, knowing it will thrive best there. That is a reminder to me that, first off, Lily needs to be "planted" in a place where she is going to be able to bask in and know the love of her Savior. She's been "planted" in our home which means that Seth and I need to be the vessel for bringing Jesus,the light of the world, into our home by way of Scripture, music, and living out in example. Just like the sun is the light source for the earth that helps the lilies grow, Jesus needs to be the light source in our home. My girl's gotta know Jesus and have His light shining on her to help her grow. Knowing her Savior loves her and died for her to make a way to the Father is going to make all the difference in her "Eeyore" tendencies.
Next, a lily needs a layer of mulch to protect it from the frost in the spring. I feel like that says to me that Lily needs protection from the elements so that she can flourish. She needs her mom and dad to cover her and love her so that she feels safe. That way, when there is an unexpected "frost" in her life, she has a layer of protection that will keep her spirit "alive" and well.
Then comes fertilizer. A lily needs food to keep going and to grow like it needs to. My Lily also needs her little love tank fed so that she can keep going. Her love language is time, so my Lily's fertilizer is time with her parents so that she can flourish. I can't always just sit on the couch with her because I have four other children, but interacting with her on purpose is huge for Lily. Maybe one day we could fold the laundry together and just talk while we do it. I've found that when Lily just spends in my presence, she's full of love; enough to give out to others. I can't be mad at her for needing that; Isn't that just how we are with God? We've gotta sit at His feet and let Him fill us up so that we can give to others?
After fertilizer is water. Not a heavy watering, but one that is consistent. Lily doesn't need a once a month date with her dad to help her grow, she needs consistent time on a regular basis to meet her special needs. A lily needs ALL of these things; not just one or two of them. Without all of them together, the growth of a lily isn't going to be what it could be, and it could die. Isn't that just like my Lily? Without one of those elements in her growth, her spirit will be crushed, and she will not be able to flourish.
I have forgotten some time ago what God spoke to me. My Lily has been frustrated, discouraged, sad, and mad. But all the elements to her growth haven't been there. (And I have just wanted to throw my hands up in the air and eat a box of Hoho's!) God brought me back into focus this morning. He reminded me of what He told me almost five years ago.
This one's different. She's needs more of you.
I can't care for my Lily the way she needs all by myself. I need the Master Gardener to walk by my side and gently remind me of what my garden needs, because I forget sometimes. I have to meet with Him every day, or my garden of flowers is going to suffer.
