Memorial Day was one week away, and I needed red-striped petunias.
Mat, our son, died while serving in the Army. Since he loved red-striped petunias, I hunted for them at several garden centers. I wanted to honor him and my daughter-in-law—who yearned for him to have striped petunias, by decorating his grave with his favorite flowers. Defeated, I bought a petunia blotched with maroon, hoping it would satisfy everyone.
A quick errand to buy baling twine so we could make hay sent me to town. I rumbled down back roads, reveling in the spring flowers, the corn sprouting, and the overall beauty of the farming landscape. Zipping by a family-run greenhouse, I felt God nudge me to turn around and go to the greenhouse.
Though I was in a hurry to get twine, I obeyed and rolled into the graveled parking space. Inside, signs pointed customers to various flowers and plants. Humid air filled my lungs as I wandered along aisles decorated with flats of marigolds and blue lobelia. A riot of colored petunias smothered one table, and at the far end was what I searched for. I sent a photo to my daughter-in-law who was ecstatic. Thanking God, I filled a flat with petunias and added in a few heirloom tomato plants. That evening, I planted red-stripes in a large pot and placed it by Mat’s gravestone.
Finding the petunias reminded me that Jesus is Lord over the smallest details of our lives—even when I need to find red-striped petunias to honor a fallen soldier and satisfy a young widow’s heart.
Let God control the smallest details of your life.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
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What a vivid picture of the provision of our Lord!