The Lily

I took this shot recently at Marsha & Bryan's frog pond across the street. It was cloudy and overcast last Friday, but that seemed to make the colors in the flower more brilliant than on a sunny day. When I had the picture developed I was struck by the visible water around it. As you probably know by now, I have a 'history' with lily pads and the search for living water! When I took Marsha the prints a few days later, there was NO TRACE of the flower, none.

My counselor has a blue and white representation of a lily flower on her card with the words "Breathe Deeply." It has become a saying in our household! When one of us is tense, the other just stops and begins to inhale in an exaggerated way with a smile and a noise inhale and slow, exhale. Bob has even begun just DOING that at work. in his usual style, no explanation, just the actions, in an attempt to rise above the chaos of any given moment in the lab.
Here is a poem I wrote July 21, 1990 at the "Lily Pond" at Cincinnati Nature Center. The Lord is still asking me to "just be His lily pad, stand and tip."

Lily pads at the pond                      Molly Lin Dutina         

Grow on stalky stems.

Leaves unfold an opened palm,

Cupped at center point.

Summer shower starts to drop

Mercurial glistening spheres,

Gathering in the center palm

Until the bulbous weight

Smears shower drops

Into glistening globs

And tips the pad so full,

To pour its contents overboard,

And rising from the spill,

Stately shielded lily-palm

Begins the cycle once more.

Drench me Lord

In Your shower of love

Let me gather and drink my fill,

Then spill it over on those around

And rise to await Your holy will.

Keep my stalk flexible,

My palm open and cupped,

Eager to receive Your all,

Questioning not Your skill,

Only trusting the shower of love,

To melt my rigid will.

Send the wind of Your Spirit

To tip me over, pour me out,

Then drench me once again

With cleansing water of holy Word.

Let Your light shine through

My enshrouding mist.

Color me with Your promise this:

Abiding presence and constant love,

Indwelling grace that conquers sin,

Transfigured rigid I

Yielded and bent

In the service of Christ,                                                                                                                

Spilling forth rivers of living water                                                                                            

And giving rest unto croaky voiced frogs            

Who, when Spirit-kissed,

Become priests and kings  

Singing their praises to You.