We made another trip to the State
Botanical Gardens of Georgia on Saturday. We had gone a couple of weeks ago and found a few tulips blooming, but this week our timing was perfect.
The tulips were on full display
and made the whole place a wonderland. From the entrance to the back beds of the
garden, the flowers had burst forth in layer on layer of pink, orange, yellow, and
red. Just when we thought we’d seen them all, we’d spot another area shouting
for our attention.
When we returned home that
afternoon, I sifted through my photographs from that morning, and began another painting.
E.M. Forster observed, “Tulips
were a tray of jewels.” That’s what they seem like to me, too. We want to hold the
beauty close, and painting is a way of doing that for me.
Tulips are in the lily family,
and I’m remembering Jesus said, “Consider the lilies of the field, how they
grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, that even
Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.”
I’m considering the lilies once
again as I dip a brush into a hue just shy of red. In the Greek, a shade of “consider” is learn thoroughly. It has been a lifelong quest for me
to do so. Especially in light of the next words Jesus speaks about how even
Solomon was not clothed like the flowers, and how if our maker clothes the grass, he’ll
certainly take care of us who are of much more value. I’m reminded our
questions about how we will find provision for our lives point to a lack of trust
in God’s faithfulness.
Then we come to the verse that
has been one of the bricks in my own foundation. “But seek ye first the kingdom
of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.”
Because you see, I am tempted to fret
about provision. I wish it weren’t so, but it is. But Matthew 6:33 keeps
pulling me back to the truth of seeking Him and His righteousness first, and
everything else follows. This is what I and all of us must learn thoroughly.
In these days of uncertainty, it’s
a timely reminder of what to put first and what to keep first.
I have many photos from my
botanical gardens trip from which to paint, and that should give me quite a
while to do some considering.
Beverly Varnado is the author of several small town romances from Anaiah Press including her latest, A Season for Everything. All are available at Amazon. A memoir, Faith in the Fashion District, from Crosslink Publishing is also available as well as her other books, Give My Love to the Chestnut Trees and Home to Currahee. She also has an Etsy Shop, Beverly Varnado Art.
To explore the web version of One Ringing Bell, please visit bev-oneringingbell.blogspot.com
Beverly Varnado copyright 2022