Paul and I spent many days at Lake Arrowhead in California, with our dear friends, Jim and Judy Head. Little did I know that there was an amazingly beautiful place there covered with daffodils; five acres with more than 50,000 of these gorgeous flowers. These daffodils were planted by one woman. Yes, one woman. She started planting them one at a time in 1958. She planted many colored varieties which made beautiful patterns across the mountain. I spoke about this place a few times as I was teaching, but I never visited it. As I recalled this teaching, it made me want to go outside and start my own daffodil garden.
I believe we have a ‘Daffodil Principle’ and I even spoke on it many years ago. I was using this principle as I was teaching on marriage. Actually, I was teaching on forgiveness in our marriages. I thought of those who have wasted years planting wrong words, thoughts and acts in their marriages. Because of these wasted years, you may think you’ve done too much damage in your marriage. You may think there’s no hope in reversing all the damage done. You may think, “what would my marriage be today if I had started 5,10 or 15 years ago to plant kind words in my (garden) marriage? What if I had used words to bless instead of curse? What if I had made right choices? What if I had loved my spouse like I should have loved them? What if I had spoken kindly to them? So many regrets! So many ‘what ifs’ or ‘if onlys’ cloud our minds.
It’s never too late to start planting the right seeds or ‘bulbs’ in our marriages. Well, why not start today to plant the right words, attitudes, thinking and doing in our marriages. Paul said in his book Sequoia Size Success that change is the only thing that brings growth. You can change your marriage today by planting your garden of kind words. You may not see a giant change at first, but as you plant the right words, change will take place. Why not set a goal to begin to speak only when we have something worthwhile to say and always speak kindly? (Pro. 31) Think about this! If we spoke only when we have something worthwhile to say and only used kind words, how much would we speak? Good question. Some of us would be mute! Just saying!!
Proverbs says that a soft answer, or a gentle response, will defuse anger. Remember, it takes two to tango, as the saying goes. If you take wood from a fire (anger) it will eventually go out. (Proverb 26:20) So, why not be the one who removes the log from the fire? Make a choice to start today to plant your daffodil garden of kind words, have a godly attitude, and think right thoughts. When you do this, you will make right choices.
One of the wonderful promises that Paul held on to after a very difficult time in our marriage is in the second chapter of Joel where God promises to restore the years that the canker worm had eaten. In other words, God makes up for those wasted years. He is a Restorer! He can bring beauty out of ashes. But we must return to Him and allow His Holy Spirit to plant the right words, attitudes and thinking in our marriages. This will permeate our whole life. Everyone, especially our family, will see the change. The old hymn says, “Let others see Jesus in you. Be clean and pure without, within, let others see Jesus in you.”
BK's Blog 