This is beautiful. Simply beautiful! Thanks for the great post. Sherri
On 4/7/08, Sugar <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > MAGNOLIAS > > > > Edna Ellison > > I spent the week before my daughter's June wedding > > running last-minute trips to the caterer, florist, > > tuxedo shop, and the church about forty miles away. > > As happy as I was that Patsy was marrying a good > > Christian young man, I felt laden with > > responsibilities as I watched my budget dwindle . . > > So many details, so many bills, and so little > > time. My son Jack was away at college, but he said > > he would be there to walk his younger sister down > > the aisle, taking the place of his dad who had died > > a few years before. He teased Patsy, saying he'd > > wanted to give her away since she was about three > > Years old! > > To save money, I gathered blossoms from several > > friends who had large magnolia trees. Their > > luscious, creamy-white blooms and slick green leaves > > would make beautiful arrangements against the rich > > dark wood inside the church. > > After the rehearsal dinner the night before the > > wedding, we banked the podium area and choir loft > > with magnolias. As we left just before midnight, I > > felt tired but satisfied this would be the best > > wedding any bride had ever had! The music, the > > ceremony, the reception - and especially the > > flowers - would be remembered for years. > > The big day arrived - the busiest day of my life - > > and while her bridesmaids helped Patsy to dress, her > > fiance, Tim walked with me to the sanctuary to do a > > final check. When we opened the door and felt a > > rush of hot air, I almost fainted; and then I saw > > them - all the beautiful white flowers were black. > > Funeral black. An electrical storm during the night > > had knocked out the air conditioning system, and on > > that hot summer day, the flowers had wilted and > > died. > > I panicked, knowing I didn't have time to drive back > > to our hometown, gather more flowers, and return in > > time for the wedding. > > Tim turned to me. 'Edna, can you get more flowers? > > I'll throw away these dead ones and put fresh > > flowers in these arrangements.' > > I mumbled, 'Sure,' as he be-bopped down the hall to > > put on his cuff links. > > Alone in the large sanctuary, I looked up at the > > dark wooden beams in the arched ceiling. 'Lord,' I > > prayed, 'please help me. I don't know anyone in > > this town. Help me find someone willing to give me > > flowers - in a hurry!' I scurried out praying for > > four things: the blessing of white magnolias, > > courage to find them in an unfamiliar yard, safety > > from any dog that may bite my leg, and a nice person > > who would not get out a shotgun when I asked to cut > > his tree to shreds. > > As I left the church, I saw magnolia trees in the > > distance. I approached a house... No dog in sight. > > I knocked on the door and an older man answered. So > > far so good . . . No shotgun. When I stated my plea > > the man beamed, 'I'd be happy to!' > > He climbed a stepladder and cut large boughs and > > handed them down to me. Minutes later, as I lifted > > the last armload into my car trunk, I said, 'Sir, > > you've made the mother of a bride happy today.' > > 'No, Ma'am,' he said. 'You don't understand what's > > happening here.' > > 'What?' I asked. > > 'You see, my wife of sixty-seven years died on > > Monday. On Tuesday I received friends at the > > funeral home, and on Wednesday . . . He paused. I > > saw tears welling up in his eyes. 'On Wednesday I > > buried her.' He looked away. 'On Thursday most of > > my out-of-town relatives went back home, and on > > Friday - yesterday - my children left.' > > I nodded. > > 'This morning,' he continued, 'I was sitting in my > > den crying out loud. I miss her so much. For the > > last sixteen years, as her health got worse, she > > needed me. But now nobody needs me. This morning I > > cried, 'Who needs an eighty-six-year-old wore-out > > man? Nobody!' I began to cry louder. 'Nobody needs > > me!' About that time, you knocked, and said, 'Sir,I need you.' > > I stood with my mouth open. > > He asked, 'Are you an angel? The way the light shone > > around your head into my dark living room...' > > I assured him I was no angel. > > He smiled. 'Do you know what I was thinking when I > > handed you those magnolias?' > > 'No.' > > 'I decided I'm needed. My flowers are needed. Why, > > I might have a flower ministry! I could give them > > to everyone! Some caskets at the funeral home have > > no flowers. People need flowers at times like that > > and I have lots of them. They're all over the > > backyard! I can give them to hospitals, churches - > > all sorts of places. You know what I'm going to do? > > I'm going to serve the Lord until the day He calls > > me home!' > > I drove back to the church, filled with wonder. On > > Patsy's wedding day, if anyone had asked me to > > encourage someone who was hurting, I would have > > said, 'Forget it! It's my only daughter's wedding, > > for goodness' sake! There is no way I can minister > > to anyone today.' > > But God found a way. Through dead flowers. > > > > Sugar Says: > > > > 'Life is not the way it's supposed to be. It's the > > way it is. The way you cope with it is what makes the > > difference.' > > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Access the Recipes And More list archives at: http://www.mail-archive.com/recipesandmore%40googlegroups.com/ Visit the group home page at: http://groups.google.com/group/RecipesAndMore -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
