Thanks For The Thorns
Sandra felt as low as the heels of her Birkenstocks as she pushed against a
November gust and the florist shop door. Her life had been easy, like a
Spring breeze. Then in the fourth month of her second pregnancy, a minor
Automobile accident stole her ease. During this Thanksgiving week she would
have delivered a son. She grieved over her loss. As if that weren't enough
her husband's company threatened a transfer. Then her sister, whose holiday
visit she coveted, called saying she could not come. What's worse, Sandra's
friend infuriated her by suggesting her grief was a God-given path to
maturity that would allow her to empathize with others who suffer. "Had she
lost a child? -No--she has no idea what I'm feeling," Sandra shuddered.
"Thanksgiving? Thankful for what?" she wondered. "For a careless driver
whose truck was hardly scratched when he rear-ended her? For an airbag that
saved her life but took that of her child?"
"Good afternoon, can I help you?" The flower shop clerk's approach startled
her. "Sorry," said the clerk, Jenny, "I just didn't want you to think I was
ignoring you."
"I.... I need an arrangement."
"For Thanksgiving?"
Sandra nodded.
"Do you want beautiful but ordinary, or would you like to challenge the day
with a customer favorite I call the Thanksgiving Special." Jenny saw
Sandra's curiosity and continued. "I'm convinced that flowers tell stories,
that each arrangement insinuates a particular feeling. Are you looking for
something that conveys gratitude this Thanksgiving?"
"Not exactly!" Sandra blurted. "Sorry, but in the last five months,
everything that could go wrong has." Sandra regretted her outburst but was
surprised when Jenny said, "I have the perfect arrangement for you." The
door's small bell suddenly rang.
"Barbara! Hi," Jenny said. She politely excused herself from Sandra and
walked toward a small workroom. She quickly reappeared carrying a massive
arrangement of greenery, bows, and long-stemmed thorny roses. Only, the ends
of the rose stems were neatly snipped, no flowers. "Want this in a box?"
Jenny asked.
Sandra watched for Barbara's response. Was this a joke? Who would want rose
stems and no flowers! She waited for laughter, for someone to notice the
absence of flowers atop the thorny stems, but neither woman did.
"Yes, please. It's exquisite," said Barbara. "You'd think after three years
of getting the special, I'd not be so moved by its significance, but it's
happening again. My family will love this one. Thanks." Sandra stared. "Why
so normal a conversation about so strange an arrangement?" she wondered.
"Ah. . ." said Sandra, pointing. "That lady just left with, ah. . ."
"Yes?"
"Well, she had no flowers!"
"Right, I cut off the flowers."
"Off?"
"Off. Yep. That's the Special. I call it the Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet."
"But, why do people pay for that?" In spite of herself she chuckled.
"Do you really want to know?"
"I couldn't leave this shop without knowing. I'd think about nothing else!"
"That might be good," said Jenny. "Well," she continued, "Barbara came into
the shop three years ago feeling very much like you feel today. 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 faced major
surgery."
"Ouch!" said Sandra.
"That same year, I lost my husband. I assumed complete responsibility for the
shop and for the first time, spent the holidays alone. I had no children, no
husband, no family nearby, and too great a debt to allow any travel."
"What did you do?"
"I learned to be thankful for thorns."
Sandra's eyebrows lifted. "Thorns?"
"I'm a Christian, Sandra. I've always thanked God for good things in life and
I never thought to ask Him why good things happened to me? But, when bad
stuff hit, did I ever ask! It took time to learn that dark times are
important. I 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 gasped. "A friend read that passage to me and I was furious! I guess
the truth is I don't want comfort. I've lost a baby and I'm angry with God."
She started to ask Jenny to "go on" when the door's bell diverted their
attention. "Hey, Phil!" shouted Jenny as a balding, rotund man entered the
shop. She softly touched Sandra's arm and moved to welcome him. He tucked
her under his arm at his side for a warm hug. "I'm here for twelve thorny
long-stemmed stems!" Phil laughed, heartily.
"I figured as much," said Jenny. "I've got them ready." She lifted a
tissue-wrapped arrangement from the refrigerated cabinet.
"Beautiful," said Phil. "My wife will love them."
Sandra could not resist asking. "These are for your wife?"
Phil saw that Sandra's curiosity matched his when he first heard of a Thorn
Bouquet.
"Do you mind me asking, "Why thorns?"
"In fact, I'm glad you asked," he said. "Four years ago my wife and I nearly
divorced. After forty years, we were in a real mess, but we slogged through,
problem by rotten problem. We rescued our marriage, our love, really. Last
year at Thanksgiving I stopped in here for flowers. I must have mentioned
surviving a tough process because Jenny told me that for a long time she kept
a vase of rose stems-stems! - as a reminder of what she learned from "thorny"
times. That was good enough for me. I took home stems. My wife and I decided
to label each one for a specific thorny situation and give thanks for what
the problem taught us. I'm pretty sure this stem review is becoming a
tradition." Phil paid Jenny, thanked her again and as he left, 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 Jenny.
"Well, my experience says that thorns make roses more precious. We treasure
God's providential care more during trouble than at any other time. Remember,
Sandra, Jesus wore a crown of thorns so that we might know His love. Do not
resent thorns."
Tears rolled down Sandra's cheeks. For the first time since the accident she
loosened her grip on resentment. "I'll take twelve long-stemmed thorns,
please."
"I hoped you would," Jenny said. "I'll have them ready in a minute. Then,
every time you see them, remember to appreciate both good and hard times. We
grow through both."
"Thank you. What do I owe you?"
"Nothing. Nothing but a pledge to work toward healing your heart. The first
year's arrangement is always on me." Jenny handed a card to Sandra. "I'll
attach a card like this to your arrangement but maybe you'd like to read it
first. Go ahead, read it."
"My God, I have never thanked Thee for my thorn! I have thanked Thee a
thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorn. Teach me the glory
of the cross I bear, teach me the value of my thorns. Show me that I have
climbed to Thee by the path of pain. Show me that my tears have made my
rainbow. -George Matheson"
Jenny said, "Happy Thanksgiving, Sandra," handing her the Special. "I look
forward to our knowing each other better."
Sandra smiled. She turned, opened the door, and walked toward hope!
[ Author Unknown -- from: Aniceprsn@aol.com, via Bill Rayborn ]
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