The supported sunflower and palsy

The story of the man with palsy interested me and so first, I will share it as I understood it, then we will look at the fallen sunflower.

First, hear a question Jesus asked ‘His enemies’ to show He loved them. Before the question. Here is the setting:

Four ‘ thinking’ strong friends.

A person with palsy. (paralysis accompanied by uncontrolled movements caused by a defect in the neevous system)

Jesus. ( He is in a closely filled house with the scribes seated.)

The four friends and their sick friend are outside. How can they make Jesus see the need? The house was one with a flat roof and stairs up the side. Why not uncover part of the roof and let him down on his bed in front of Jesus?

So they did!

Jesus saw the faith of these four friends and didn’t bother much about the roof!

Jesus looking into the face of a man just let down through the roof by those who loved him said:

” Son, your sins are forgiven!”

The sitting scribes had sudden thought bubbles.

” Why does Jesus speak sacrilegiously?”

“Who can forgive sins but God only?”

And immediately when Jesus understood in His spirit that they were asking these questions He asked His enemies who He loved these questions:

” Why are you asking these questions in your hearts?”

“Is it easier to say to a person ‘your sins are forgiven’ or to say ‘ pick up your bed and walk?’

Then Jesus looks deeply into the scribes’ eyes  and says:

But so you know that the Son of Man has power on EARTH to forgive sins

Jesus now turns His face to the man with a defective nervous system

” I / Jesus say to you. Get up and take your bed and go on your road to home.”

And he did just that! And what about the people closely filling the house? They were all amazed! Glorified God!

And said:

‘ We haven’t ever seen anything like this!’

Mark 2: 3-11 ( I like to make it my own please read it for yourself.)

Now for the fallen sunflower in the garden.

The garden has a pond and two bird baths. One of these is on the wall of the raised bed near the fallen sunflower. A couple of years ago Roy wanted to take a shrub out with deep roots using a pick. I protested that although it was a skeleton and never had leaves it was used by the birds to sit on after bathing. They liked the sun there. We kept the shrub. After the sunflower fell face down I went to stake it but found that the skeleton shrub’s branches were a scaffold for the head and a perfect way to allow the plant to go into seed.

The next question I had was: When will I know that the seeds are ready?

There is a colour change in the back of the flower head. It goes from green to yellow and then to a golden brown. It is the golden brown time I need to wait for. This is when I will collect seeds to plant next year.

Waiting for the slow change to yellow then golden brown. Maybe winter will come too soon and it won’t happen. We will wait and see.

Here are two quotes with the word waiting:

‘ I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start, with perhaps a bit of magic somewhere behind the morning.’

JB Priestly

And

‘ Somewhere, something incredible  is waiting to be known.’

Sharon Begley

Take care,

Sandy 🙂