Daily Bread

From the Lord’s Prayer we recite “Give us this day our daily bread...” Our daily bread can be many different things depending on our individual needs. And there are many different sources to meet our needs.

One of these sources is the plant kingdom of nature. There is a special kind of love that emanates from nature that touches a place in our hearts that nothing else can reach. It is one of God’s many special gifts that add softness and beauty to our lives, enabling us to experience relaxation and emotional comfort.

I am ever mindful of this as I serve as a volunteer gardener at the Church Health Center, which runs a faith-based health clinic. This is a way for me to bring a kind of healing in the patients they serve. Weeding, planting and landscaping - everything done in the garden has a purpose. Each element has its mission and message.

An abundance of evergreen shrubs and plants dress the landscape so that even in winter there is always something green and alive to see. Evergreens represent the ever-loving, everlasting, ever-presence of God. No matter how harsh, how cold, how long lasting are the winters of our lives, He is always with us. Many evergreens produce berries and seeds that ripen in winter. These foods are like the fruits of our own personal labors, as well as sustenance from God, that we harvest when needed.

A source of encouragement in the winter garden is the evergreen flower the Lenten Rose. It begins to bloom in February, the flowers lasting for months. It conveys the message that surrounded by God’s love, we can not only survive, but we can emerge from the cold hard ground of adversity and challenge and bloom. This bloom is the new, improved us, a flowering of the soul from which we gain confidence and inner strength.

Incorporated into the landscape are a variety of plants, each with its own special gift. Flowers of different shapes, sizes and fragrances, as well as delicate ferns, hostas and moss all work together to promote a sense of peace and tranquility. They are like a gentle, caring touch in an often tough world.

Early spring bulbs of crocus, daffodil and hyacinth affirm the promise of personal growth, better times and enlightenment. While the ground still shivers from the lingering chill of winter, tender leaves sprout up and flowers bloom, often in a less than perfect environment. Just as in life, nothing is perfect, so bloom where you are planted.

Using numerous types of flowers in the garden where I volunteer, I endeavor to plant a rainbow of feel-good colors that will lead the seeker to feel joy, spiritual comfort, faith, courage, inner peace, hope and healing.

The blue of asters and wishbone flowers symbolize the inner spiritual life. Blue has a relaxing and tranquil effect. The green of leaf and lawn is a quiet, comforting color that makes us feel secure. It whispers a message of hope, encouraging us to persevere. Blue and green are considered to be healing colors.

The yellow of black-eyed Susans and jasmine speaks cheerfully, “Oh, happy day!” It is a color that almost laughs out loud, parting the cloud of negative thought and letting in the sunshine of joy and lightheartedness. Red shouts of energy and strength – seen in impatiens and dianthus – a vibrant and powerful color. Orange, displayed by daylilies and lantana, creates inner warmth, kindling generosity and the desire to “do the right thing.”

Iris, verbena and pansies reveal the royalty of purple – heralding the intrinsic worth and dignity in all mankind. The pink of periwinkles and begonias lullabies us with gentle sweetness telling us everything will be okay – this color inspires hope and encourages faith.

White is the soft spoken voice of love and forgiveness. The petals of daisies, azaleas and hosta flowers tell us that each day is a clean slate on which to begin anew. White symbolizes purity of thought and purpose, guiding us to a positive path.

In II Samuel 22.2, David declares “The Lord is my rock.” This aspect of God is represented by the numerous stone works in the landscape. Arrangements of stone are placed throughout the gardens to affirm the strength to be found through God. Each stone is selected for its shape, size and color and is placed in a specific spot for the thought and feeling it evokes. The characteristics of each stone speak of attributes such as endurance, support, stability and strength. The earth tones of Arkansas fieldstone, brown, ocher, gray, russet and white are soothing, helping us to regain our emotional balance and keep us grounded.

In the garden is a small cave, a stone grotto, symbolizing the rock of faith on which we climb up to meet our challenges. Each stone stands on the shoulders of another, as in life, mankind gives and receives support from one another. Through these efforts, our personal labors and faith in God, we build our inner strength.

In Psalm 23.5 David states, “Thou preparest a table before me …” Every natural element in the landscape offers us food for thought and spirit. The garden is a bounty of daily bread.

Nancy Grear Mitchell is a long-time volunteer for the Church Health Center.

The author referenced Color: The Secret Influence by Kenneth and Cherie Fehrman.

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