What's Your Fragrance?

Lavender, my signature flower

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

A few days ago, I was reading in 2 Corinthians, chapter 2. Immersed in the words, it took me a moment to realize that I was reading with a scent in my nose.

Tantalizing wafts of fragrance swirled through my thoughts.

"But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing," (2 Corinthians 2:14-15, ESV).

As the words I read floated through my mind, they were accompanied by the memories and aroma of lavender.

Lavender.

In my heart, Christ (and therefore God) has the refreshing, calming, soothing, and beautiful fragrance of lavender. He smells like lavender! The Peace that fills my soul and permeates my life is that of lavender.

Quiet. Peace. Reverence.

Is it no wonder that lavender is one of my favorite blooming herbs? I am drawn to lavender as the bees, seeking scent and beauty. I gently brush my fingertips along the flowers and attempt to capture the faint scent. Or I crush and bruise petals and stem between these wretched fingers, forcing the flowers to release their fragrance. For my benefit.

Isn't that what happened so long ago? He was crushed and bruised, all to release the gift of His life, the fragrance of salvation. But that was not just for me. Rather, it was for all of us.

The fragrance of lavender.

Do you read with your nose? What fragrance is God to you?

Oh, to smell like lavender to those around us.

The Power of Words

Word sources

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

Words.

Words are amazing.

The entire process of how we learn to speak and use words in intelligent conversation awes me. And the fact that we learn to write and read and utilize words is fantastic.

What can words do?

They can be used to:

~ encourage

~ affirm

~ express emotion

~ praise

~ tear down

~ build up

~ destroy

~ curse

~ forgive

~ add fuel to or put out the fire

~ share dreams

~ explain

~ teach

~ condemn

~ inform

~ question

~ make choices

~ create

~ stand firm

~ call for help

~ offer assistance

~ distribute faith, hope, and love


Words can be our best friend or our worst enemy. We can use them with kind regards towards others in our society.

Or we can abuse and pirate our words to wound, pillage, and plunder the hearts and lives of those around us.

How do you use your words?

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.  ~ Psalm 19:14 ESV

Read 99 more verses about the power of words here.

Encroaching

Beautiful yet encroaching and taking over a flower bed

 By Angie Quantrell Angie Quantrell


Encroaching.

honeysuckle
crab grass
pink flowers
vines
raspberries
strawberries
parsley
pumpkins
sunflowers
evergreen tree
birch branches
moss

slugs
sow bugs
daddy long legs
yellow jackets
aphids
white grass bugs
ants

gossip
television
news
media
politics
pollution
violence
wars
famine
drought

Encroaching.

In my yard. In my community. In my world.


Aggressively encroaching vines grasping for toe holds

It starts small, but once you start looking, it's everywhere at every level.

Encroaching.

What is encroaching in your life?

Yet. There is always hope. Big or small encroachments, He is here.

Raspberries escaping and encroaching throughout yard

But you are a shield around me, O LORD;
you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.
To the LORD I cry aloud,
and he answers me from his holy hill.
I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.

Psalm 3:3-5 NIV

Love is Spoken Here

Are they more than just words on a card?

Love is spoken here.

These words could be trite, overused, or just a pretty saying.

Are they more?

Maybe those who send or utter, "Love is spoken here," are well meaning and sincerely offer encouragement, love, and affection.

Do words speak louder than actions? Or is it the other way around?

Do my actions shout in agreement with my quiet words or engage in battle between what I want to do and say and what I actually do and say? Sometimes the answer is both.

Love is spoken here.

Love is shown here.

Love is experienced here.

Love grows here.

Love is here.

Love is.

Love.


These thoughts remind me of the often used love verses for wedding ceremonies, though I think love is not just for marriages. You can read them in 1 Corinthians 13.

What do you think of when you consider love?

Aged

Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.

~ Proverbs 17:6 (NIV)

I am aged. Like cheese, wine, or moldy haunches of meat.

The gift of grandchildren transforms me into the category of 'aged.'

Does that make you feel old? It does me. Just yesterday I was considering how 52, soon to be 53, is not that old. 53 is a good respectable number. Now 60, that is approaching old and sounds much more mature.

LOL. Do you remember when people in their 30's were old in our young teenager eyes? No? Me, neither.

Truly, only old people accidently hit publish instead of save and throw out an incomplete post without any photos or edits. Sigh. Said the grandmother sitting at her computer blogging.

Aside from the fact that I, a grandparent, am aged, I am also crowned. My children's children are the crown of blessing deposited on my head.

And, oh, is my crown large and beautiful!

I choose to feel special and prized, just like that old cheese and wine. Prized and valued and claimed.

After all, I have a crown, gloriously brilliant with bright shiny faces, bubbling lips, gleeful hearts, and heartfelt hugs.

I am a grandparent.

Thoughts of love

"As high as the sky is above the earth,
so great is His love for those who honour Him.
As far as east is from the west,
so far does He remove our sins from us."

Psalm 103:11-12 (Good News)