Bethel United Church part 2

On what I thought was the last visit to Bethel United Church to view a discrepancy between my tapestry cartoon and the weaving in my mind I saw lilies that were not yet blooming across the road from the historical church located amongst the fields. So I returned mid summer to sketch their blooms. In the botanical book, " Wild Flowers of the Pacific Northwest Lewis Clark had this to say about the tiger lily (Lilium Columbianum) "Lily has become one of the best known of plant names. And that name is very familiar from the superb translation of the authorized version of King James: 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. Matthew 6:28,29 Yet the derivation of lily is obscure. Professor George Black has been kind enough to compare the above passage, both in original Greek, and in the Latin translations. He points out: Letter for letter transcription of the Greek words there used for 'the lilies' is ta krona. However for lily early Greek had also leirion which is considered cognate with Latin lilium - whence comes the English lily." This tiger lily is not Columbianum as the leaves are alternate and not in whorls of 6-9 leaves. So the mystery of what it is and how it got here remains.  Sadly, the lesson of God's love designed to comfort us is bypassed in this botanical literature. The scripture says in NIV, "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?"

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Bethel United Church

I visited this church one Thursday morning. It is located at the end of a paved road amongst the fields before the road transitions into gravel. While my daughter caught grasshoppers I drew a sketch in my journal. A man with a ladder in the back of an old truck wearing work clothes showed up and parked. I watched from a respectable distance as he unloaded several buckets of water and carefully hand watered two graves that shared a tombstone. His gentle action brought tears to my eye's. Were they his parents? After he left I moved closer to the church and than I saw what looked like two white doves but in reality they must have been pigeon's take off together from a ledge above the church door. Like swirling ribbons they ascended into the blue sky. There was a monument stating a brief history. The church was constructed in 1873 as a Methodist church with Rev. Francis Metherall officiating. It would later became an United Church. Before we left I picked a bouquet of wildflowers that grew along the road at the edge of the field. I plan on weaving this church and this is the sketch I drew in my journal that day. The church tells of rural island life long ago and still appreciated today.

Bleeding heart

In the moving truck I brought along some of my flowers including bleeding hearts although at the time they were just roots that I packed into a tote. Sometimes it's hard to know when your moving what to bring and what to leave behind. My only regret was not to bring my ladder. But I am glad I brought the flowers. Bleeding hearts remind me of God's love and challenges me to have a heart like Jesus. "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers." 1 John 3: 16.

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The familiar

I am surrounded with the unfamiliar. There is the landscape of endless ocean and red earth, and there are tree's, shrubs and flowers I have never seen before. One morning as I drove slowly along a road near my cottage I saw something familiar and it was not a dandelion. Iris's were peeking up over the green stalks of leaves in the ditch and peering cautiously at me. It was blue-flag ( Iris Versicolor). This is the same iris's we grew in the goldfish pond I had made for my daughter on the west coast. I'm always cautious picking wildflowers and after determining that there were five or more growing nearby I brought one blooming stem home with me.  I drew it in my journal - happy for familiar company. Now when I'm out for a drive I see pops of candy purple everywhere in water filled ditches.  He put them there and he sends enough water to care for them. He put me here and I know that whatever happens like the blue flag He will care for me to. "He gives showers of rain to men, and plants of the field to everyone." Zechariah 10:1

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My help!

I wove this very small tapestry which measures 8 inches wide by 7 inches high from embroidery floss and thread while living on the west coast. When I walked the beaches I saw mountains and when they were snow covered in a sunrise they were spectacular. They reminded me to look -up to Him and that encouraged me. No matter what was overwhelming me - He was bigger. There are no mountains here but I am blessed with their memory and I have this tapestry to remind me of this Psalm.

Care

Praise God! In the grass around my cottage are little, wild purple violets. They make me smile. I know He put them there. 

<He gives showers of rain to men, and plants of the field to everyone.>  Zechariah 10:1

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Still creating

When I see the color of a sunrise or a sunset I am reminded He is STILL creating. Creation didn't end in Genesis 1. Despite all the ugliness in our world God is still at work creating beauty.  There is a balsam popular tree in my yard - this type of tree never grew on the island I came from on the west coast. When I gaze at this tree and watch the wind blowing the white, shimmering catkins backlit in sunlight I am deeply moved.  He cares enough to continue to create. Praise God! « All Your works shall praise You, O Lord. » Psalm 145:10

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