It has rained a lot in Phoenix the past few days. When you combine this with week spent in Texas and add a pinch of general laziness you end up with a backyard that looks like the set of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. (French class!). I’m going to need a machete and a flamethrower to tame this jungle but just for today I’m glad it’s there.

When I was out jogging to make myself feel superior to you, I passed by a beautiful flower bush in bloom. It was amazingly yellow and had so many petals it didn’t know what to do with them all; some were scattered on the ground beneath it. It was glorious!

Then when I got home and lamented by gardening mission I noticed the weeds that are troubling me have tiny petals at the top of them. Just a few to each one, small blooms stretching toward the sun with whatever glory a weed can muster. It reminded me of a story…

When Jesus was talking in the city one day he noticed people giving offerings at the temple. Among them was a poor widow who had but two coins. He watched as she gave them up and said, “The plain truth is that this widow has given by far the largest offering today.” The widow was giving all she had. She had no giant check to hand off at a press conference, just an embarrassingly small amount that God counted as a treasure.

It was an encouragement to me to bloom with whatever petals I’ve been given. Stretch out toward the sun what I have no matter if anyone cares or appreciates it. Because I know that where some people see weeds, God sees a flower. Where some people see broken, God sees beautiful.

It’s glorious.