Grow Daisy Grow!

And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? - Matthew 6:28-30

The common daisy is no less a flower than an orchid or a rose. 

What do I mean by that? 

A couple of weeks ago I was carpooling with a friend to go pick up and split a box of wholesale chicken. This close friend and her husband are apart of "The Cohort" that my husband and I affectionately call our friend group. My friend mentioned that she and her husband had recently discussed how shocked and humbled they were that my husband and myself were so content and happy despite our financial struggles. 

My husband and I are not rich. We are not even middle class and realistically, probably never will be. We currently live full-time in a camper that we purchased second hand for a great discount. My husband works in law enforcement and I am a homemaker. We have two mini dachshunds that we paid way too much for but love to death (if you know, you know) and a two and a half year struggle with infertility that we cannot investigate due to rising healthcare costs. But, according to my friend, you would never know because we never stress out about our finances or complain about the lack of money. 

The caveat here is that my husband and I have never stressed out about finances or complained about money publicly. And though it has been awhile since we even stressed out privately, we have definitely struggled with being grateful for the provision that the Lord has chosen to provide for us in the past. But our contentment has come out of conflict. 

Shortly before purchasing our camper roughly one year ago, we almost purchased a house. It became clear very early on in the closing process that this was not the Lord's will for us. But we stubbornly pursued it because we wanted it. It took the Lord not only closing the door, but bolting it shut for us to surrender to his will and walk away from it. The disappointment of losing that house was quickly overcome by the absolute miracle of how the Lord provided us with our camper a few days later. It was only through this incredibly humbling experience that we were able to understand what true contentment is and how to choose it. 

I do not do this perfectly. Contentment is a choice that I have to make every day, sometimes multiple times a day. And sometimes I don't choose it. Sometimes I envy the provision that others have been given. I want the two-bedroom-one-bathroom house, the two reliable vehicles, the backyard chickens and the ability to conceive children. I look at the flowers that are everyone else's lives and sometimes I wish that my life looked a little more like theirs. I feel like a common daisy growing by the path in a vibrant garden, watching the sunflowers bloom and wishing I was one of them. 

So, I looked up facts about daisies:

1. Daisies are resilient and prolific growers. Though original to Europe and Asia, they can now be found on every continent except Antarctica. Why? Because they are extremely resilient and adaptable to their environment. They excel in both wet and dry climates, sunny and shady environments, mountainous regions or low lying fields. They are also resilient to most pesticides and bugs.
2. Daisies have medicinal properties. The petals and leaves can be eaten and are a great source of vitamin C. They can also slow bleeding, relieve indigestion and soothe coughs. It is even called the "gardener's friend" for its ability to relieve back pain according to oral tradition.
3. Daisies are pollinator power houses. The biology and shape of the flowers enables bees to collect larger amounts of pollen and nectar in order to make honey for their hives.
4. Daisies symbolize humility and true love. The classic white daisy is often associated with innocence, purity, loyalty, patience and simplicity. But the common daisy is also two unique flowers in one plant. The petals and the central disc are considered separate but codependent parts that make up one working unit. The flower is often used to symbolize the covenant of marriage.

And suddenly I didn't mind being a common daisy so much anymore. 

Jesus tells us in the book of Matthew that God Himself clothes the grass with flowers. He uses that as a picture to explain to us that God also clothes our lives in his provision for his glory. And he chose to clothe me with resilience and adaptability, the ability to help heal those around me, and a nature suited to assist in his kingdom work; he has gifted me humility, purity, innocence, loyalty, patience and simplicity (traits impossible to come by in one's own power); and he has given me a partner in my husband that we may unite together to live this life and ministry in love and intimacy. 

I may never know this side of heaven why the Lord chose to make my life like that of a common daisy. But I can be content in the reality that the Lord chose it for me. This is his intimate, loving, gift giving provision and I have no reason to be ashamed of it or to wish for something different. The question that is left is how am I going to live this life of a common daisy by the cobblestones: am I going to live it to the fullest or spend the rest of my days wishing I could be one of the other flowers in God's garden. 

A final thought: Christ tells us in the gospels that the fields are ready for harvest, yet the workers are few. Guess who is already, by God's design, in the fields? 

Daisies.