Bouquet of Wisdom: Reflections from the Garden

Bouquet of Wisdom is a book of thirty reflections from the garden, personal stories paired with a flower and a lesson. Deanna looks back on a little girl who found courage in a bouquet of sticky dandelions. She remembers the teenager who wilted in the spotlight of a daffodil pageant. She treasures Christmas memories that included poinsettias in a hospital, paperwhites sitting on rocks, and beautiful blue hydrangeas in Brazil. Some blossoms remind her of God's faithfulness; others emphasize his care. Each experience was a lesson learned-in season and out of season, in the garden and in life.

Perhaps flowers have meant something to you, too. Not only are they lovely, but they can connect us to times of transition, celebration, and even challenge. Do wild flowers remind you of the wild child within? Does a prom corsage bring back memories of a special dance, a first date, a certain young man? Does a particular flower remind you of God's provision? Maybe it's a garden favorite that survived a brutally cold winter, the hottest July, and last week's hail storm.

In life's memorable blossoms is a God who's been in the details of our life. And in those experiences, he helps us find wisdom and gain understanding-not conventional wisdom, but divinely inspired, discerning insight. Yes, the flowers surrounding us create a unique collection of memories, and those memories can become an exquisite bouquet of wisdom and understanding.