Author	Thread: Praise Him for your roses, thank him for your thorns.
Quiet-man View Profile History	Praise Him for your roses, thank him for your thorns. Posted : 13 Dec, 2011 02:03 PM I don't know how many of you go to other boards. But here is a story I found on one of mine, Sandra felt as low as the heels of her Birkenstocks as she pushed against a December gust and the florist shop door. Her life had been easy, like spring breeze. Then four months ago her husband was sent to prison. He's really a good man. Just made a mistake. During this Holiday Season she would have celebrated 16 happy years of marriage. She grieved. As if that weren't enough, her company threatened to fire her. Then her sister, whose holiday visit she coveted, called saying she could not come. Her friends stopped returning her calls. What's worse, Sandra's best friend infuriated her by suggesting her grief was a God-given path to maturity that would allow her to empathize with others who had loved ones in prison. "She has no idea what I'm feeling," thought Sandra with a shudder. Thanksgiving? Christmas? Thankful for what? She wondered. For not having my husband with me? For being alone? "Good afternoon, may I help you?" The shop clerk's approach startled her. "I....I need an arrangement," stammered Sandra. "For Christmas? Do you want beautiful but ordinary, or would you like to challenge the day with a customer favorite I call the Christmas "Special?" asked the shop clerk. "I'm convinced that flowers tell stories," she continued. "Are you looking for something that conveys 'gratitude' this Christmas?" "Not exactly!" Sandra blurted out. "In the last four months, everything that could go wrong has gone wrong." Sandra regretted her outburst, and was surprised when the shop clerk said, "I have the perfect arrangement for you." Then the door's small bell rang, and the shop clerk said, "Hi, Barbara . . . let me get your order." She politely excused herself and walked toward a small workroom, then quickly reappeared, carrying an arrangement of greenery, bows, and long-stemmed thorny roses; Except the ends of the rose stems were neatly snipped: there were no flowers. "Want this in a box?" asked the clerk. Sandra watched for the customer's response. Was this a joke? Who would want rose stems with no flowers! She waited for laughter, but neither woman laughed. "Yes, please," Barbara replied with an appreciative smile. "You'd think after three years of getting the special, I wouldn't be so moved by its significance, but I can feel it right here, all over again," she said as she gently tapped her chest. "Uh," stammered Sandra, "that lady just left with, uh....she just left with no flowers!" "Right," said the clerk, "I cut off the flowers. That's the Special. I call it the Christmas Thorns Bouquet." "Oh, come on, you can't tell me someone is willing to pay for that!" exclaimed Sandra. "Barbara came into the shop three years ago feeling much like you feel today," explained the clerk. "She thought she had very little to be thankful for. She had lost her father to cancer, the family business was failing, her son was into drugs, and she was facing major surgery." "That same year I had lost my husband," continued the clerk, "and for the first time in my life, had just spent the holidays alone. I had no children, no husband, no family nearby, and too great a debt to allow any travel." "So what did you do?" asked Sandra. "I learned to be thankful for thorns," answered the clerk quietly. "I've always thanked God for good things in life and never to ask Him why those good things happened to me, but when bad stuff hit, did I ever ask! It took time for me to learn that dark times are important. I have always enjoyed the 'flowers' of life, but it took thorns to show me the beauty of God's comfort. You know, the Bible says that God comforts us when we're afflicted, and from His consolation we learn to comfort others." Sandra sucked in her breath as she thought about the very thing her friend had tried to tell her. "I guess the truth is I don't want comfort. I've lost a husband to prison and I'm angry." Just then someone else walked in the shop. "Hey, Phil!" shouted the clerk to the balding, rotund man. "My wife sent me in to get our usual Christmas arrangement . . . twelve thorny, long-stemmed stems," laughed Phil as the clerk handed him a tissue-wrapped arrangement from the refrigerator. "Those are for your wife?" asked Sandra incredulously. "Do you mind me asking why she wants something that looks like that?" "No...I'm glad you asked," Phil replied. "Four years ago my wife and I nearly divorced. After forty years, we were in a real mess, but with the Lord's grace and guidance, we slogged through problem after problem. He rescued our marriage. Jenny here (the clerk) told me she kept a vase of rose stems to remind her of what she learned from "thorny" times, and that was good enough for me. I took home some of those stems. My wife and I decided to label each one for a specific "problem" and give thanks for what that problem taught us." As Phil paid the clerk, he said to Sandra, "I highly recommend the Special." I don't know if I can be thankful for the thorns in my life," Sandra said to the clerk. "It's all too...fresh." "Well," the clerk replied carefully, "my experience has shown me that thorns make roses more precious. We treasure God's providential care more during trouble than at any other time. Remember, it was a crown of thorns that Jesus wore so we might know His love. Don't resent the thorns." Tears rolled down Sandra's cheeks. For the first time since her husband went to prison, she loosened her grip on resentment. "I'll take those twelve long-stemmed thorns, please," she managed to choke out. "I hoped you would," said the clerk gently. "I'll have them ready in a minute." "Thank you. What do I owe you?" Sarah asked. "Nothing; nothing but a promise to allow God to heal your heart. The first year's arrangement is always on me." The clerk smiled and handed a card to Sandra. "I'll attach this card to your arrangement, but maybe you would like to read it first." It read: "My God, I have never thanked You for my thorns. I have thanked You a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorns. Teach me the glory of the life I bear; teach me the value of my thorns. Show me that I have climbed closer to You along the path of pain. Show me that, through my tears, the colors of Your rainbow look much more brilliant." Praise Him for your roses, thank him for your thorns. Post Reply
Vivere View Profile History	Praise Him for your roses, thank him for your thorns. Posted : 14 Dec, 2011 03:49 AM That's beautiful! Post Reply
View Profile History	Praise Him for your roses, thank him for your thorns. Posted : 14 Dec, 2011 04:24 PM :applause:...thank you so much for sharing this...So very true that we as Christians thank God for all the Blessings and the Purty Roses and Neglect the The Offering of Thanks for the Trials and Tribulations in life that Strengthins our Faith & Trust in Christ Jesus...God Bless you...xo Post Reply
liz_kulet View Profile History	Praise Him for your roses, thank him for your thorns. Posted : 22 Jan, 2012 02:54 AM Awesome!!!! thanks for sharing this one...beautiful....:applause: Post Reply
View Profile History	Praise Him for your roses, thank him for your thorns. Posted : 5 Feb, 2012 08:45 PM Thank you for sharing ;) Post Reply
vkjewell View Profile History	Praise Him for your roses, thank him for your thorns. Posted : 26 Feb, 2012 02:17 PM As I, too, struggle to be the 'face of Jesus' to each man, woman, and child God weave into each new day, my heart goes out to you, Sister, in true empathy for the heartbreaking frustration you are experiencing with this difficult person. My difficult one is a child of four. I know. How pitiful that a child of four can so completely defeat a full grown woman of God on a daily basis. My progress in this new relationship took a huge leap forward in my heart, however, when God tersely pointed out last week that four year old 'Freddie' is a gift from God, who gives only good gifts to His children. In a flash, it dawned on me that no one in my life makes me examine my true emotional state, my patience, my unconditional regard, my pride, faster than defiant, furious four year old Freddie. It is my heart's desire -- in moments of joyful worship where my strength is renewed -- to be the Face of Jesus to Freddie. It is my greatest struggle, amid the chaos of civilizing fifteen other four year olds, to fan that desire into to action fifty times a day. On a good day, I get to five. Then my human supply of mercy usually runs out; and I end up being the stern Face of the Referee, meting our Justice one full blown, rage filled time out after another. Ironically, I'm actually wise enough to know that voluntary time out only works with kids who fear authority or wish to appease the Referee. Freddie, of course, is not one of them. Such is a marriage or a courtship in turmoil. I can only plead with you, as I believe the Holy Spirit pleads with me . . . Whatever else you choose, do not be the one who turns your back on a relationship God has brought into your life. Gods first and primary purpose for woman was to be the 'helpmeet' for man. Translated from the original Hebrew, this would in English mean that God's first and primary purpose for women is to be a face to face' for men. To be the Face of God for her mate. To be the Face of God to children. Even if you must separate physically from someone harmful, preserve an opportunity for reconciliation tomorrow by choosing, through the power of God's Holy Spirit, a heart attitude of mercy today. It is the greatest act of gratitude daughters can do for Abba Father, who once turned His Holy back on His own Perfect Son so that we may have His Mercies new every day. Post Reply
View Profile History	Praise Him for your roses, thank him for your thorns. Posted : 4 Aug, 2012 01:52 AM this is beautiful... Post Reply