longing for lilacs

Not much in life is sweeter than the scent of lilacs in May. Driving around town this week I've begun to notice the beautiful, lavendar flowers blossoming on enormous bushes just about everywhere. Their scent almost takes my breath away. When I spot a bush, I need to stop and breathe them in. There's something in me that feels hope, joy, a sense of well-being; all from smelling a lilac.

We don't have any lilac bushes in our yard, but there's a vacant lot behind our house where I have been known to sneak a few flowers each spring. I ventured over this afternoon, hoping to snag a few, and to my dismay there were hardly any flowers on the branches. The bush is getting old. Each year it produces less and less flowers. I only had the heart to cut one flower off.

Hopefully I'll find another bush to glean from, but even if I don't, my one lone lilac flower has brought me joy already. And so many reminders. I am abosultely in love with a God who would create lilacs, all for the simple purpose of reminding me that He is good (even when life is not), that He is faithful (even when I am not) and that because of His love for me I can have hope, joy and a sense of well-being.