Petunias: the beautiful in the common

I have a guest writer on the blog today! Jenny Lutz came to me with this beautifully written piece. It resonated with me so we wanted to share it with you! She writes about finding the beautiful in the common, which goes well with my blog (finding the hidden joys of this life). Enjoy!!

I found petunias today (4/6/21)! Why is this important? What’s the big deal about petunias?

Petunias are a very common flower. You will frequently see them in planter boxes near the entrances of buildings in the spring and summer. At first glance, there is nothing special about them. There are several different varieties. Some have stripes, some have speckles, some have spots, some look like tie-dye, and some are just plain solid colors. They don’t smell particularly sweet. They don’t grow tall. You can’t really cut and display them very easily. Being annuals they have to be replanted every year. I have grown petunias in planter boxes on our deck for five or six years now. They are cheap. That is part of the reason I started planting them, because I am not known for being able to keep plants alive for very long. I figured I didn’t want to make a huge investment.

But some things that people don’t often know about petunias.... they are resilient. Over the years that I have planted them we have had summers that were extremely hot, and I didn’t always remember to water them. There have been times they actually looked dead, but then we would get a heavy rain, and they would start to come back. We have had windstorms that blew the planters off the deck (ie derecho) making all the dirt land upside down on the petunias, even breaking some of them. They have survived being shoved back into the planter with all the dirt.

Petunias are bright. They are great as an accent flower, because they bring a pop of color or contrast to the other plants around them. Lastly, when petunia’s needs are met, they can not only survive, but thrive, blooming over and over. I have actually had some last from early March (spring) through most of November (late fall). Even in Iowa, where we get hard freezes.

Petunias have a few characteristics that remind me of humans. From a distance, they look just like an ordinary flower, but the closer you get the more unique they are.

Petunias are resilient, surviving in dry and trying seasons. All it takes to restore them to their former beauty, or even make them surpass it, is water and sun. Our God is the God of restoration, and he has been in the business of restoring lives literally forever.

Petunias contrast or brightness to other plants draws people’s eyes to them. This reminds me of Matthew 5:14-16 NIV. “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

As Christians, we are called to be a light or brightness in the dark, dreariness of the world and to live out God’s commandments. That often means living in stark contrast to what current culture says is permissible, acceptable and even encouraged. In this day and age, it may even make you a target for “cancel culture” or censorship, but we still must hold tight to what the Bible says.

I mentioned that I have seen my petunias live through multiple seasons of growth. Planting them, taking care of their needs to grow and watching them bloom several different times. I can’t help but think, that’s how God feels watching us. He plants us, provides for us and watches us bloom over and over. He provides what we need to thrive. I know petunias are just a flower. People are way more valuable than flowers, but still I see a correlation there.

Things to think about:

Are there areas of life where you are thriving?

**Give God thanks; even if it is a small thing.

Are there areas that feel dry? Where you are just surviving?

**Declare this verse over your life. (I replace he is with I am)

“He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭1:3‬ ‭ESV‬‬