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Green Figs no leaves

As Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, and feeling hungry, he saw a fig tree with many leaves and went to it, expecting to find fruit.
He found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs.
Jesus cursed the tree, saying, “May you never bear fruit again!” and it immediately withered. (Found in Mark 11)

I have been thinking about my fig tree having these very small green figs with no leaves as the cold and wind together destroyed the leaves leaving a spiritual mystery in my mind. My tree has been bearing edible fruit for years but this year in season no figs at all. Lots of beautiful leaves. As season was winding down there appeared an abundance of tiny green figs.

Now I goggled and researched and understood why I most likely didn’t have edible figs this year.

I began to think about Jesus wanting figs and saw a tree with beautiful leaves and no figs. In support of the fig tree the story said it was not the season there for figs. Yet, Jesus got a little testy it seems and curse the tree!

I read different opinions as why Jesus did this? One commentary wrote;

“The story is a lesson that true faith is not just about appearances but about bearing “fruit,” or doing good works and living a righteous life.”

I get it! Now, what about my tree and its spiritual meaning? My tree did look elegant and regal with big beautiful leaves. Then appeared tiny green figs late in the season and we had warning frost was near. The wind seemed a bit vicious about the same time. I pondered, I’m always competing with the birds and squirrels when the joy of a ripen figs appears. No competitive sport was happened now.

In our last blog we covered a little about a parable and a simile meaning. what would Jesus see in our fig tree?

Then Sings my Soul;

“As a deer gets thirsty for streams of water, I truly am thirsty for you, my God.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭42‬:‭1‬ ‭CEVUK‬‬

As we have shared often flowers and greenery come in many forms and from various places and occasions. Recently we received flowers from Jen and The Barn at Willow Brook, of Leesburg, from a ‘celebration of life.’ They were lovely and, Mr J Hamilton Lambert’s life story connected to the school, ACL, of which at times receive our flower gifts. We repurpose them for more beauty, class lessons including arts and crafts of which we at times share here. We love how connections are made to benefit our youth of today as well as each of us as we share and learn together.

Our focus verse from Psalms 42 is a metaphor for a deep and intense spiritual longing for God. A deer thirsty and longing for water.

Our story telling table arrangement here is a metaphor hopefully serving as a tool to represent complex issues, emotions, or experiences beyond what is literally seen but our souls may be feeling.

Some of our Artists are using visual metaphors from flora designs and other forms of flower art and words to communicate love, loss, or identity, creating layers of meaning for us to interpret.

Our Hope is Love, Joy and Peace will be the reality that springs forth from deep within each of us as we share one with another.

Jeremiah 17:7

Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.

Psalm 33:18

Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;

Psalm 29:11

May the LORD give strength to his people!
May the LORD bless his people with peace!

“Love is more important than anything else. It is what ties everything completely together.”Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭14‬ ‭CEVUK‬‬

Let us Love one another!

Update on Repurposing flowers from Wedding in Wilmington NC

FFA Leesburg, Va Loudoun County

The FFA is pounding flowers during their meeting activity right now; flowers from Wilmington, NC

They are making bookmarks. Then will dye yarn from the flowers for the strings that will go through the holes!

Don’t you just love the sound we are hearing of these students in our County Schools from the FFA!

“”This is so exhilarating to me being from NC and living on a farm in my youth! I just had to remind us of their Creed!

The FFA Creed

“I believe in the future of agriculture, with a faith born not of words but of deeds – achievements won by the present and past generations of agriculturists; in the promise of better days through better ways, even as the better things we now enjoy have come to us from the struggles of former years.

I believe that to live and work on a good farm, or to be engaged in other agricultural pursuits, is pleasant as well as challenging; for I know the joys and discomforts of agricultural life and hold an inborn fondness for those associations which, even in hours of discouragement, I cannot deny.

I believe in leadership from ourselves and respect from others. I believe in my own ability to work efficiently and think clearly, with such knowledge and skill as I can secure, and in the ability of progressive agriculturists to serve our own and the public interest in producing and marketing the product of our toil.

I believe in less dependence on begging and more power in bargaining; in the life abundant and enough honest wealth to help make it so–for others as well as myself; in less need for charity and more of it when needed; in being happy myself and playing square with those whose happiness depends upon me.

I believe that American agriculture can and will hold true to the best traditions of our national life and that I can exert an influence in my home and community which will stand solid for my part in that inspiring task.

The creed was written by E.M. Tiffany and adopted at the Third National FFA Convention. It was revised at the 38th and 63rd Conventions.”

Plato “Let me write the songs of a nation; I care not who writes its laws.”

The pounding of these marvelous flowers from my home state to the tables of Loudoun where my sons grew up is the sound of our yesterdays, today and tomorrow. I include my granddaughter and yours children and grands to as the care for our land.

Jeremiah 29:11 states that God has plans “to give you a future and a hope”.

Thank you FFA!

Repurposed flowers gifted to ACL

(Read more about them from our Wedding blogs)

Academies of Loudoun-DEBORAH CHAVES-Teacher, Agricultural Education-5712521980 shares;

The flowers have lasted beautifully in refrigeration and today my Plant Science students were thrilled to be able to learn and use them in many different ways. Some students learned how to ‘flower pound’ by arranging the flowers, petals, leaves in artistic patterns on unbleached muslin sandwiched between parchment paper. As they happily pounded away with mallet and hammers, the beautiful colors permeated the cloth making an everlasting piece of ‘art’. Some were then glued on cards, or on the re-purposed vases; placed in baskets decorated with the dried flowers; or left for the next project purpose. Other students made dyes from the flowers by placing flowers and water in glass lab beakers and then bringing to a boil on laboratory hot plates. The cloth was pre-soaked in a vinegar/water solution, rinsed and then placed in beakers filled with the simmering dye until the cloth absorbed the colors. They further experimented by adding salt and/or vinegar to the dyes to increase the color absorption and even tried doing some watercolor painting with them!

None of the plant material was wasted as whatever could not be used in the crafting such as stems, etc. was put in buckets to be composted for their outdoor classroom garden. What an enjoyable learning day they had! They are looking forward to continuing to learn from and utilize the ‘re-purposed’ flowers.

Our thanks again to all that donated the flowers and contributed so our class @ACL could learn and share how to repurpose these beautiful flowers.

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose…” Ecclesiastes 3:1

“Love never fails” 1Corinthians 13:8.

Wilmington NC Wedding Venue-Flower Power

https://www.theeliawilmington.com/

Roxanne. Party coordinator, 562-901-6393

The Story of;

“Flower Power” Story of Matt and Savannah’s wedding flowers from their wedding, 11/1/25 in Wilmington NC started with me late on that Saturday night about 400 miles from my home.

Jen, caterer, our flower angel seems to show in the night OWL hours announcing great news with videos of what is about to happened at my front door within hours. “Wedding flowers” for you!

This has happened a number of times recently. I must say I am in awe of the spectacular beauty. My question is a prayer, “now what Lord.” And, “why me Lord!”

The answer always come in various ways of God’s plans of how to repurpose the flowers to extend the love and light given by the Bride and Groom and those that are their extended wedding attendants.

“You Will Know Them by Their deeds”. (Matthew 7:16) NKJV

John 13:35, Jesus says, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another”.

This Visual is often summarized in action from the Christian hymn “They Will Know We Are Christians by Our Love” and is understood as a call for Christians to actively show love to everyone, including those who are marginalized or don’t believe. The Hymn’s words began to spring forth from each flower and green sprig in the “flower power” gifted from Matt and Savannah by Jen.

“We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
And we pray that our unity will one day be restored
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yeah they’ll know we are Christians by our love

We will work with each other, we will work side by side
We will work with each other, we will work side by side
And we’ll guard each man’s dignity and save each man’s pride
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yeah, they’ll know we are Christians by our love”

The following Tuesday, was Election Day and I felt so helpless in many ways. Our state and others would elect new governors as our Nation struggles with a government shut down. The fragrance of these amazing unique wedding flowers and their astonishing artistic beauty relaxed my facial frown into a generous smile as a tear moistured my face as purpose and repurpose began to take shape. I recalled another time in our nation’s history when “Flower Power” became the words and action of each day in our DC area and other areas, too.

“Flower power” refers to a movement from the late 1960s and early 1970s that symbolized non-violent protest and passive resistance, particularly against the Vietnam War. It was rooted in the hippies’ philosophy of peace, love, and non-violence, which was expressed through actions like distributing flowers to police officers, wearing flowers in their hair, and embracing a general counterculture of love and peace.”

I’m not promoting political views, or other views except ONE view and that’s the view I BeLIEVE holds us together, love!

Jesus also said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 14:34,35)

I invite you with me, give someone a flower, a kind word, or whatever is yours to give! I have in my hands flowers to give and hold in holy respect the marriage of Mr and Mrs Roger’s while connecting their peace and love to the outer world.

Flowers for Penelope, the Squirrel

Penelope, the Squirrel

Can you find Penelope, my favorite Squirrel among the Repurposed *Wedding-Wine-Flowers?

My Heart is steeped in each and ever flower delivered to me on Sunday, October 26, 2025! (See blog below Wedding-Wine-Flowers) My Mother, Ada Patrick Craddock was born October, 26, 1904! It was her earth 121st Birthday!

Ada, was known as a Master Gardener. She grew up on a farm on the Albermarle Sound, NC. And, yes as a young girl living in the 1900’s worked on the farm where sandy soil produced much fruit. The greatest supplies for sale were peaches, apples, watermelons, cantaloupes and Scuppernong grapes. Their boats would often leave their pier to make the voyage to the nearest town to sell their produce. Her father seem to have a reputation as the grand master of wine. I don’t need to tell you, our readers, that was illegal in those days.

For among the fruits and vegetables and wines were fish of many kinds with beef and pork as the barnyard staple.

Their farm had the beauty of the beautiful water of the Albermarle sound where we, her kids of a dozen and, I being her tenth, among cousins as well, played and swam and enjoyed the abundance of fine cuisine.

Ada, had married and they had a farm of their own and I must add NO wine for her beyond an oz for her Christmas homemade fruit cakes. And maybe church communion on her appointed Sunday to adorn the altar with her home grown flowers, wine and bread.

She did have her own little country store of many lovely things. It just seemed her flower and vegetable gardens were her master piece. The customers mostly neighbors thought the same.

I don’t want to forget she truly had the art of the sewing needle from our school dresses, quilting, to name just a spot in her profile. Did I mention a songwriter and published poet? She also crocheted, making gifts to sell and share.

So much I could go on and on about yet the one thing that amazed me the most from my childhood on was her love of nature. A walk in the woods and fields would be called her sacred spot. She had all kinds of animals on our farm and trees and plants thriving by a stream seem to greatly delight her. We could often hear her laughter from a distance when a bunny, a squirrel, a bird plus butterflies, bees plus other crawling things moved around in her sacred space.

I was greatly blessed by Jen to be given a ‘garden of flowers’ on what would be her 121st earth Birthday. The wedding flowers truly looked like they were from the Kings Garden! I often imagine her there!

Yes, the process of sharing her recent BD flowers are still in progress as our readers know from the blogs below. In sharing my deep thoughts I wanted to honor nature also with her flowers when I thought of one of my favorite websites, Nothinggoingon. I’m a fan of Penelope, the squirrel. Ada, would be, too. Take a look and maybe you will smile or have a good healthy belly laugh!

“A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.” (Proverbs‬ ‭17‬:‭22‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

I want you to know today that you are loved and you are enough! You are beautiful right where you are! Jesus truly loves you and me!😍

*Our thanks again to, Jen, Old Farm Winery at Hartland, Caroline and Mary Adeline, and our Bride and Groom, Lauren and Danny!🫶🏼

Wine-Wedding-Flowers-TheDaily Lily-

Jen’s car and flowers from Lauren and Danny’s wedding

The main thing here our photos are not doing our ‘flower garden’ justice. We needed our excellent Wedding Photographer, Emily Mar, of Warrenton, Va, to show off the beauty of our wedding flowers!

https://emilymarphotography.com

OUR FOCUS SCRIPTURE:

“On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there,²and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. ³When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

⁴“Woman,^[a] why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”

⁵His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

⁶Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing,each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.^[b]

⁷Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.

⁸Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”

They did so, ⁹and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside ¹⁰and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

¹¹What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. (John 2:1-11 NIV)

Our wedding October 25, 2025…

Couple: Lauren and Danny

Coordinators: Caroline & Mary

Adeline

Venue: Old Farm Winery at

Hartland

Instagram:

@oldfarmwineryhartland

https://oldfarmwineryhartland.com

Our flowers travelled from this absolutely beautiful wedding Venue in Aldie, Va to our front yard midnight on Saturday night where Jen, the caterer, again surprised The Daily Lily! This time not with flowers but a ‘garden of flowers’.

Upon awaking Sunday morning I had Gary out making a video, and we separated a few for a Birthday and an Anniversary. Then immediately arranging a time for Debi to pick up for their ride to ‘Academies of Loudoun’ for any conditioning needed and their walk in refrigeration to keep fresh. So grateful to have a space to work from, teach students and share.

I was able to sit among the garden flowers in my garden before they left to meditate, pray and give thought to their repurpose and then maybe repurpose again for dry arrangements. Some might yield seeds for birds, squirrel play and 2026 plantings.

I gave thought to our focus scripture, a wedding, water and wine. Just what does it mean, “Jesus turned water into wine?”

I read among other meanings, “it was symbolic of the arrival of the Messianic age, demonstrated Jesus’s ability to provide abundance and meet human needs, and foreshadowed his ultimate sacrifice.”

Let us Love one another as He loved us. (John 13:34)

Repurposed Flowers

One of my neighbors, Jen, works at wedding venues, various meetings and gatherings. Often after the beautiful wedding or gathering is over and lights are dimmed “a star of the night- a flower”might just be a galore of beautiful but maybe tired and droopy flowers left on tables. And, their “purpose” is over.

Often, a Bride, Mother or other will still be around as the tables are being cleared and goodbyes are being said and they will ask, “is there someone that can use these flowers?”

My neighbor, Jen, will say, “I would like to take them to my neighbor that I know will repurpose them”. Interestingly, I’m the neighbor and I was never asked about my new duty. I woke up one Sunday morning with a porch full of beautiful flowers wondering what is this?

I found out pretty quick that I had been gifted with beautiful flowers to do as I pleased.

I bathed in their beauty, danced with delight and thought how could I be so blessed to be gifted like this? I was told it was midnight on a Saturday night when all were very tired and workers looking and yearning for their beds yet stopped by my porch and left vases and boxes of flowers. What must I do with them?

My prayer went something like this, “Oh Lord. What am I to do with these? They need some work to survive!” Of course call Debi, she works in flowers all day. Why give her another job I thought? And, who are they for? Then peace came when I whispered, maybe half-hearted, “who are they for? “

Another neighbor had recently loss her husband. We didn’t know them well and had watched the funeral party coming and going and thought, comfort her Lord and went about our days. To be honest *1)he wasn’t a very likable old chap to some of us.

Oh yes, yet Debi made his widow a gorgeous vase of flowers. She conditioned the flowers and arranged them like only designer Debi could do. We wrote a card sending our prayers and words of condolences to a grieving widow. They were delivered to her door just at a moment when encouragement was much needed. We received a beautiful response. 🙏

Yes, a vase of repurposed flowers has opened a flood-gate of many more flowers and we have added *2) spiritual-purpose written notes to soothe the soul and heal the bones.

New ideas and various venues for their use. Some not able to keep fresh but dried and used for teaching children in various organizations among other deliveries of surprises when one just needed to know, “God always cares”!

*1) “When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭16‬:‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/114/pro.16.7.NKJV

*2)“Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭16‬:‭24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/114/pro.16.24.NKJV

It’s been such a joy to be a part of repurposing flowers for the purpose of being used as the hands of Jesus to encourage one another. I hope I will often call to remembrance the following scripture when wondering how to help others when gold and silver are not readily available. Or, at least amounts I’m willing to part with.

“Acquiring wisdom is much better than gold, and acquiring understanding is better than silver.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭16‬:‭16‬ ‭CEB‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/37/pro.16.16.CEB

Jam Recipes by Fay Cooper Davenport

Fay is a native of Columbia and Raleigh, NC. She grew up in the Columbia area with parents and grandparents making jams among other home grown fruits and vegetables they grew and canned. She married, travelled and lived in various places while making Raleigh her family home. She was a reading teacher @Raleigh and now retired. She is still trekking to her Mom’s beach area in NC to continue their family tradition of canning with her Mon and sisters and extended family. Always fun to get her family recipes. Hope you enjoy. If you have a special recipe please share!

Gentleness-Fly Fishing Va

Gentleness/fly Fishing in Va

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” (‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭NKJV)‬‬

“Gentleness” has great strength and power”! That is what I learned from my Mother. And, she being the Mother of eleven others! I have not particularly paid much attention to this word, “gentleness”, recently because I haven’t seen or heard much about it.

Recently my youngest son became very interesting in fly fishing. I began to marvel as I watched the gentleness in this sport from all aspects of the people involved. Seemly, they spoke and lived differently than the harshness I had become accustomed to recently in sports, news, and often church. I was finding myself gravitating more to this sport and it ‘caught me’ when I saw the gentleness of words and actions that soothed my soul, “Catch and release.” Then a grandson of my Mother, being a grown man and grandfather himself sent me a page from his journal about the love he had for his grandmother. It started out, “she was a gentle lady! I had tears of joy because he could not have been more accurate about my Mother.

Jesus surely understood the life of a fisherman. He even called some from their vocation to come and help give life to mankind. Surely, something to think about! Then I remembered my Mother grew up in a family of commercial fisherman on the Albermarle Sound.

Jesus’ said “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” was an invitation to his first disciples, who were fishermen, (Matthew 4:19)

I started this blog a few days ago and got busy before I finished as I continued to look for words to release after I knew I had caught, “gentleness”.

Then, just last night Sunday, 10/12/25 I received this email from Debi Chaves;

“I listened to a sermon by Begg on this…thought I would share what the overview said about gentleness.

“Although listed among the fruit of the Spirit, gentleness is an aspect of Christian character that is often neglected. Alistair Begg explains that biblical gentleness is not a natural personality trait but strength under control, pictured perfectly in God’s disposition toward His children and the humility of Jesus Christ. God forms gentleness in us through difficult circumstances as we learn to submit to His Word and grow in the practice of living with consideration for those around us.”

Pastor Alistair Begg said it well. Debi, our friend and Ricky, the grandson, shared stories on gentleness. My Mother lived “gentleness” well! It’s a practice very needful in our world today that some of us believe as we practice, “catch and release”. WOW! Just WOW! Turn WOW up side down and it spells MOM so my 5 year old Granddaughter taught me just a few days ago! WOW MOM! Thanks for releasing gentleness into the world! I want to “catch and release.”