Spring, O Bloom,

Bloom forth in me!

My Countenance, 

Lifts up to Thee.

Soft, Fragrant,

An Offering,

Pedals, Thorns,

And Deep Core Seed.

All of Me,

Yes, All of Me.

Raised up to Thee.

I took a moment today, in between the teaching and the laundry, foregoing another sink full of dishes to walk out into my garden. Discovering new blooms within the dark green spring-leaves of my rose bushes each day has brought me so much joy these past two weeks. It's silly how much, really. I wonder if it is because our home is so noisy and I am the only girl within it that I long for beauty. Or maybe it's just the private places in my heart that the Lord made that way.

One of my 8 rose bushes alone had 24 enormous buds just days away from opening.  So I cut all of the perfectly unfurled ones and brought them inside.  Vase after vase.  

The dishes were all still waiting for me when I came in, and somehow three little people were all hungry again.  These beauties don't erase the busy necessities all around, but they do add a fragrance.  A fragrance that reminds me of my Grandma, and a beauty that heralds I remember that I am a girl here within this house full of boys.  Each day as the sun rises higher and higher, these bouquets of creation brought within tease me to break away again and find the warmth of a new day, new blessings, new kind words.  All things beautiful.

All of me, 

Yes, All of Me.

Raised up to Thee.