Flowers and Families

 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. ~Genesis 1:11

I love peonies. My favorite is the anemone peony. It's not as common as the double peonies that are filled with petals. Both are beautiful but to me, the Anemone is more delicate. Though the anemone may be more delicate looking, it has the same parts as other flowers that allow it to reproduce itself. Inside, the very middle contains the carpel. The carpel contains a trinity of parts.

Carpel

• the stigma 
• the style
•  the ovary. 

This is the female part. 

The stamen surround the carpel. It only has two parts.  

Stamen

• the anther
• the filament. 

These are the male parts. 

Lastly, the petals protect and accentuate the inner workings of the peony.  You can learn more about peonies here. 

Flowers are like families. The mother and father are the center of the family surrounded by God's loving hands. It's as if God's cupped hands hold the family. They protect the family. It's inside those petals, those cupped hands that the flower produces seeds, the offspring of the flower. If any part of the flower is broken, the flower doesn't produce the optimum seed. If the carpel or the stamen is damaged the flower cannot reproduce. If the petals are damaged then they can't protect the male and female parts; the seed may be less viable.

So in God's cupped hands, families produce offspring, held and protected, where the children can be nurtured, and mature into the people God intends them to be. Families create another trinity, the mother, the father, and the child(ren). If any part of the family is missing there can be no children. If any part of the family is damaged by sin it is more difficult to raise the children. God's loving hands will not be damaged but He will not hold those who will not be held. 

 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; ~Romans 3:23

Yes, we have all sinned, so it is up to us to ask forgiveness and allow the Lord to restore His loving hands around our families. There must be a commitment for the optimal family relationship. 

Commitment

• Individual commitment to the Lord
• Commitment as a couple to the Lord
• Commitment to the marriage

So what does that look like? 

• Daily commitment to the reading of God's word
• Daily commitment to prayer
• Weekly commitment to the house of God

These are hard things to ask in the busy, hurried, distracted days in which we live, but it is the only way we can restore our homes and our nation. It has to start with us. Government, laws, not even churches can fix our problems. 

You've heard "Stop and smell the roses." Maybe we need to stop and look deeply into the peony and how God has fashioned it as well as the roses. 

How has God surrounded your family with His love and protection? 

Heavenly Father, forgive us for neglecting You. Help us renew our commitments to You and our families. Please restore Your loving hands around our families and our nation. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Hey Kids:

Have you wondered how you can help improve your family? It's not just mom and dad's responsibility. 

What can you do to make life easier for your family? 

Here are a few ideas:

• pick up your toys and clothes
• do your homework without being asked
• walk away from a fuss with your siblings.
• remind your parents to have family devotion and prayer time

What other ideas can you add? 

Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right. ~Proverbs20:11