A Thousand Violets

A thousand white violets dot our south lawn. After the first spring mowing they were temporarily eradicated but many popped up again accompanied by tiny yellow blossoms, unnamed but so beautiful nestled in the grass like tiny sun faces. I can’t get down on my knees to look at them up close. But Kaison solves that problem by picking a bouquet of violets for me to hold in my hand. Then I can see each violet’s infinitesimal purple marks. Purple violets are wonderful too, especially when they grow in thick displays around rocks and tree trunks. But what we have at this house are white ones with fine purple marks on one petal of each bloom.

In my mind I picture the Master Creator smiling as He uses a finger, maybe just a fingernail, to draw those purple marks. He takes delight in His creations whether small as a violet or as lofty as a live oak tree. His attention to detail is—awesome.

Charles bought seeds this week for growing straight summer squash and okra. On the colorful packets are directions to the gardener as to when to plant, how deep, and how many seeds, and how far apart to space them. Only squash will grow from the squash and only okra from the okra. Each squash will be a little different from another but will be a straight, not crookneck and definitely not okra, yellow squash. The okra pods will be tender and good at about three inches. We know some pods will be odd, maybe a bit knobby or crooked, and some will be what we call perfect, but all will be green, slightly fuzzy, okra pods.

The maple tree in two week’s time has changed its bare winter branches to those leafed out in spring attire. Small red leaves clothe the tree, each leaf having five to seven points, little veins like river tributaries on each point. Each leaf is a maple leaf yet is different from the next if you study it very carefully.

Fig seeds make fig trees. Acorns make oaks. Marigold seeds grow only marigolds. A violet seed down in the darkness of the earth is destined only to grow as a violet, whether purple or white, the white ones bearing that signature mark.

Claude Monet painted a dozen or more pictures of water lilies trying to express his joy found in their beauty. Each painting bears the mark of Claude Monet, the artist. Each water lily bears the mark of the Master Artist.

A thousand violets dot the south lawn, or at least a hundred. Each one is a masterpiece with the mark of the Master’s hand.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11