They aren't my sunflowers though.
They are actually Sophia and Troy's sunflowers.
You see, I was planting them in a straight row along the back of my garden.
I imagined these big beautiful sunflowers growing along the back row of my garden.
The kids were so excited about gardening, planting, chattering about what fruits and vegetables we would get to eat from our garden. Sophia complaining to me about why I was planting bell peppers, which she doesn't like.
Troy wondering when the pineapples would be done.
I wasn't getting much done with them hoovering over me.
I brought out all kinds of toys for them to play with while I worked in the garden,
they wanted their hands in the dirt, "God's dirt" as Troy calls it.
I gave them each a hand full of some extra sunflower seeds and told them to go plant them...
anywhere you want.
I didn't care what they did with them as long as they were away from "my" garden.
They planted them in white sand along the side of the house...
they chattered to each other about how big they were going to grow.
I didn't want to see them disappointed but I wanted to prepare them that those seeds would probably not grow there. That white "play sand" was not good for plants. Sophia snapped back at me "it's all God's dirt mommy! they'll grow!"
She was angry that I told her the seeds she worked so hard with her brother to plant may not grow.
They worked hard to bury the seeds in a straight line, they didn't want to bury them to deep,
maybe I shouldn't have told them they weren't going to grow there...
Everyday while I watered my little garden,
Sophia and Troy joined me... watering their white sand along the side of the house.
They believed that they would grow.
I would hear Troy talking about "God's dirt" and Sophia telling him, "soon, Bubby, soon, we will have plants."
They never doubted that those sunflowers would grow in "God's dirt."
I knew better but decided I would keep my thoughts to myself, I didn't want to upset them.
A few weeks later...
Tony decided to put up a little barrier to protect the little ones from the lawn mower.
The sunflowers I planted in the rich soil with my garden hadn't even begun to grow!? I was shocked!
The kids weren't... they were happy, but not surprised.
They knew all along that their sunflowers would grow in "God's dirt".
I believe that God intended for me to get annoyed with my children that day we began our garden.
He intended for Sophia and Troy to plant those sunflower seeds in that white sand.
It was no accident that I spoke to my children telling them that those flowers would not grow and it was God speaking to me through my daughter when she said, "it's all God's dirt mommy! They'll grow."
No doubt in my mind that God intended to teach me a lesson
while I watched my children day after day come outside and water the white sand
all the while they spoke about "God's dirt"
and believing without a doubt that those sunflowers would grow.
It was no mistake that those little sunflowers grew and have continued to grow and thrive!
The smallest of them is already over 3 1/2 feet tall!!
Imagine the excitement from my faithful children when they woke up and saw this...
So close to their first "real" sunflower
Sophia said, "I knew it! I knew God would give us Sunflowers!"
Oh, and "my" sunflowers... well they didn't make it!
Troy and I went out and picked the dying plants from the back row of the garden yesterday.
Why do we as adults have to be so blind to the obvious? This world has no doubt jaded us, something as simple as this. A child can see it so clearly... seeing that God gave us a Sunflower.
Thank you God for my children,
for their faithful spirits,
for revealing Your hand in all things,
even things as simple as this.
...and Jesus said, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” -Mark 10:13-16
