Stop and Smell the Roses

Our family went to Ludwig's Roses today, a rose farm just north of Pretoria. Apparently Ludwig has the largest selection of rose varieties available in the world, with over 1,000 varieties to choose from. We walked among the one million rose bushes (there are literally that many), marvelling at the different varieties - "Look at how big this one is!" "This one smells so good!" "Look at the colour on this one!" "This one has stripes!" "This one has only five petals and makes a perfect star shape." "This one is red on the inside and yellow on the outside!"

For someone who has always preferred daisies to roses, I have to admit that I was in awe of God's creativity in designing so many rose varieties, all with their own unique "signature."

Tonight at the dinner table we were going over our favourite roses and why we liked that particular variety. I suddenly realised - as creative as God is in making roses, He's even more creative in making people.

I wonder if He looks at us and often says, "Look at that one - isn't she beautiful?" "See how nice that one smells!" "See how he plays the trombone - I made him especially suited for that skill." "Look how resilient that one is - I am so proud of her."

I sat at the table and looked at my three children, and then at my husband, seeing them through "rose-coloured lenses," marvelling at how God has uniquely made and gifted each one for His glory.