I was admiring the beauty of my precious Gardenia blooms when I suddenly remembered the story behind the lovely vase that holds them.

Isn’t it beautiful?  The vase is made of thick glass and it rests upon a base that looks like its own pedestal.   I rarely see vases like this for sale.  Most of them are thin and not ornate.

Way back in 1989 when I was opening gifts at one of our wedding showers, I opened a box to find this vase.  I was a little shocked when I pulled it out.  The vase was used — stained with water and residue.   I looked to see who had given us this vase and there stood a community woman I had never met.  She looked a bit “disshoveled” (a term we use around here).  Her hair was pulled up behind her head, with strands of it falling out of the clip.  She looked timid and barely met my eyes.   I thanked her graciously and moved on to the next gift.

Later I found out that she had some mental issues, but for whatever reason she had attended our shower and blessed us with this vase.

Out of all of the wedding presents we received, I can definitely say I have used this one EACH year for almost 23 years.

It makes me think of the scripture about how God gives us beauty for ashes.  I know this has absolutely nothing to do with that scripture, but when it was given to me — it was dirty.  Now light radiates through as it proudly holds these heavenly buds.

Life makes us dirty.  We certainly don’t look like much of a gift to the Father do we?  But once the blood of Jesus covers us and makes us white as snow — we are beautiful, righteous, and ready for His purposes.

Isaiah 1:18
“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

I don’t know where that woman is now, but IF she is still living — I pray God blesses her.  I think about her face each spring when I reach for this vase.   I pray this woman experienced the following scripture in her life:

Isaiah 61:3
… and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.

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