[CraigT]

As far as I am concerned, God really outdid himself when he created my favorite flower, the gardenia. When they are in bloom, I can smell their sweet, buttery aroma for what seems like a mile.

There is truly not a more beautiful flower in both design and fragrance on the planet. I have been in love with them since childhood. My mother even wore a gardenia-scented perfume periodically that reminded me of my fondness for this flower, although never matching the exquisite bouquet it possessed in nature. Inevitably, anytime I catch a whiff of a gardenia in full bloom, a delightful satisfaction and pleasure wash over my olfactory senses.

Gardenias, like many other flowers, hold back most of their perfume until their petals are fully open. It didn’t take a botany class for me to learn this simple truth. All I had to do was to pick a bud and a bloom. Both were from the exact same plant and therefore had virtually the exact same beautiful potential. However, the open bloom I kept and the scentless bud I threw to the ground.

One day, as a youngster, I went to my favorite gardenia bush to pluck one of the candy-like blossoms, only to find that a recent rainstorm had beaten up all of the open flowers, leaving only a couple of buds. Even as a child, I wanted to have things my way, and I came up with a brilliant plan to satisfy my desire. I picked off a couple of the buds and sat down to help God out a bit.

The green outer covering of the flower was in the way of the petals, so I tore it off. Underneath, the petals were still snugly wrapped up tight. As I put the bud to my nose, I could faintly smell the perfume that I knew must be locked inside. All I needed to do now was to ever-so-carefully, one by one, open the petals into a full bloom.

The first petal must have been defective or already torn, because it ripped in my fingers. Oh well, that was just one of many. The next one also tore but I was able to keep it from falling off. The next four pulled right off into my fingers. The only one that was still partially open was now turning brown, so I tore it off, as well. By this time, there wasn’t much left. I tossed the mangled blossom to the ground and started on my last remaining bud.

With the wealth of experience I learned from trying to open the first one, I knew with certainty this one would be a success. As I grabbed the green outer covering to reveal the petals, the entire bud popped right off the stem.

Over the years, I have manhandled many of life’s gifts in the same way. I have, with usually misguided good intentions, tried to force the bloom of many of my own issues, situations, or loved ones around me. My focus was only on the flower, neglecting everything that needed to be in perfect sync for these things to reach their true and full potential.

Today, I love raising my own gardenias; however, I have learned that I have to keep my focus on the “dirty work”. After a bit of study, I found that for me to enjoy the beauty and fragrance of the bloom, I need to provide a clean soil rich in nutrients and acidity. (I never would have guessed that a flower so sweet would need so much acid.) I have also learned that different grasses and weeds can suck the soil clean of the nutrients the roots need to survive. Some weeds literally wrap themselves around the roots and choke the very life out of the flower.

After tending to the needs of my plants, and with plenty of sun and water provided from above, I am indeed able to watch God do what I have yet to accomplish, gently unfurling the petals one by one. If I simply do my part and let God do his, I am gifted to see the fruits of his master workmanship, and I have a beautiful flower to give my lovely bride.

Our weight loss is a result of proper life gardening. For that matter, our happiness and serenity are, as well. If we are trying to force the flowers open, who is doing our part of the gardening? Are we asking others to take on the burden of our “dirty work”, while we try to force a result?

This is a common trait about which I have to be vigilant on a daily basis. I also know today that the urge to rush a natural process is not limited to a single area of my life. If this is a common trait with you, as well, it’s probably not limited to a single issue either.

Even as I write this, I still really don’t like getting my hands that dirty; but today, I know that the work and sweat of tilling the soil are my assignment. If I wake up and get busy doing my part, God has been ever faithful in delivering beauty and fruits into my life that are far greater than I could have ever designed.

And for this, I am very grateful.

I am including with this article a brief worksheet, which I encourage you to use to discover the gifts on your own journey that need the same type of care. The flowers in your life could be your loved ones, your weight, other relationships, etc. Download the worksheet and use it often, knowing that as long as you have breath, you are being called into the Master’s Garden. WORKSHEET: Tilling the Soil