(Sometimes I believe (and it gets more and more frequent) I experience different kinds of hallucinations because of the brain God lovingly gave me. When we think of hallucinations (which are peceiving something that isn't there) we probably think of those involving our eyes and ears, sight and sound; but there are other kinds. You can smell something that isn't there (a phantosmia); your sense of touch can experience a hallucination (tatile hallucination); you can taste something that isn't there (a gustatory hallucination).)
I smelled lilacs. And I know for sure we have no lilacs blooming in our area.
It smelled so sweet. Lilacs are one of my favorite parts of spring (so if the frost kills the blooms I am not a happy person) and I very well could be imagining the smell since I've longed for spring since January.
But then I looked around.
Rapid City is in bloom!! They are about 2 1/2 to 3 hours southwest of my location (depending on how fast I drive). And they are 2 or 2 1/2 weeks ahead of us into spring. Ooo, I was a bit envious. This is what I saw:
And then I saw:
Admittedly, I was a bit wistful, maybe even a bit envious. I called my husband. He says, "Don't get arrested."
Meaning, don't go into some stranger's yard and snag their lilacs or tree flowers. I told him, I won't but I seriously am thinking of coming down and begging some off my uncle. He's a master gardener and I know he's got gorgeous plants. He must have some lilacs somewhere (Oh, I should have done that yesterday -- I won't go back to Rapid for a while).
Instead, I kept the windows down in the Suburban and sniffed the sweetness as I drove through town.
It all was a blessing. And I am so thankful for I've had a rough couple months in the brain department. Finally my doctor and I found a medication that works. I can just be me rather than the me inside my head (she is not much fun).
I had to do an errand for the church and so I stopped at this huge Runnings store. I planned to go to Menards but by then I was tired and Runnings was right there.
(Oh, only a few of you will understand this, but for those of you who do, you will SO get it.)
It was like walking through a type of heaven found on earth. I saw the spring greenhouse they were beginning to stock. I tell Hawk let's see if they have lavender plants (one of my favorite plants -- the smell is so glorious and they are great for bees and my husband built me a Top Bar beehive over the weekend. It just needs the removable roof -- I am so excited). They hadn't yet gotten the lavender plants in but they had all these glorious perrenniel flowering plants! I tell the greenhouse manager, This is better than Christmas! And she says, "Yes, it is the most wonderful time of the year!"
I picked up five perrenniels and then I walk inside. That sense of awe within me continued. I must have looked like a naive little child who just walked into Super Toys 'r' us store! Here is one of the first things I saw:
Isn't he beautiful!!! Not sure why I thought I'd needed a 63 inch tall rooster, but he is so darn gorgeous! I'll call him Roy!
No, I didn't buy him (probably why I really had absolutely no money yesterday -- God's protection of our finances -- but that didn't stop me from buying a few plants).
Hawk and I had to then go to Walmart. After we picked up a few necessary items (and they were few -- I could still see the bottom of the cart) we went to the garden section to look for lavender.
Guess what I found!
Yes, Lavender!!!! Glory to God in the highest!!!!
I only got six of them (they were $3.49 each). If I had had lots of money I would have bought ALL of them. There were probably at least 40 on the shelves. A dream of mine is to have a field of blooming lavender, like an acre of it. Maybe one day... (but our climate doesn't usually allow the lavender to winter well except when I was in Blunt I had one lavender plant that was magical I think. It not only lasted maybe 4 years. It also spread to other parts of the garden! It sure wasn't me).
What a silly post this is, but I wanted to share the gifts God gave me yesterday. And I am growing into a very much weepy woman! When I realized it was lilacs I cried and thanked God as I drove to our next appointment. Dirving in the car is a great place to worship God (just don't close your eyes and pay attention to the road).
Thank you Father for Your beauty.
"When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, The moon and the stars . . . the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens . . . O LORD, How majestic is Thy name in all the earth!" Psalm 8:3, 7b, 8-9.
"The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is decalring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech . . . There is no speech, nor are there words; Their voice is not heard (but sensed in other ways -- Jane's thought)" Psalm 19:1-3.
"When we first encounter God in the Bible it is not as the awesome Lawgiver, or the Judge of the universe, but as the Artist." Michael Card
"In the beginning God created" Genesis 1:1a