Be a Tiger Lily

The first tiger lily has bloomed in my "garden." (If you have followed my blog through any previous growing seasons, you know why "garden" is in quotes.) I hope I will have a full bouquet of lilies soon, but for now, one brave and beautiful bloom has raised her magnificent face to my wondering eyes.

While I was contemplating the miraculous choice yesterday for life by one of the conflicted women who had been considering aborting her baby, I received a text from her.  She (Z) told me she just wanted to thank all of us for being there and guiding her to the choice to keep her daughter. She thanked God for this blessings, and told me that she knew it would not be easy, but with God, she was sure she would find a way. She knew God had great plans for her baby. She was much better than she had been when she was determined to kill her baby -- "I feel great. And knowing I am not alone in this makes me feel even better."  She was just texting to thank the Cities4life team, but I asked if she had everything she needed for now. She had only one or two maternity clothes, hand me downs from her aunt. She was wearing stretchy clothes for now, but at 5 months pregnant, they would not work for her much longer.

I put out a plea on Facebook, and then dashed out to see what I might find in Goodwill. Within minutes, my status had been shared by several people, and one friend, Carrie High sent me a message. Carrie rescues dogs at great sacrifice to herself. I especially love Carrie because on her dog rescue transport mornings, she always posts a picture of the sunrise, and calls it "transport sunrise." She is so filled with hope and love for the downtrodden. One can only be in awe and praise God for a heart like that.

Anyway, Carrie would be getting a settlement soon, and wanted to send significant money to help the girls Cities4Life works with once they choose life. In the meantime, she was going internet shopping at that very moment to help meet the needs expressed in my Facebook plea, and all I had to do was take the receipt she would send me and pick up the goodies from our local Walmart.  I could not believe how easy and effortless she had made it for me to shower love on the brave mama Z who was willing to make the best choice she could for herself and her pre-born darling.

Carrie High is my beautiful tiger lily, the first one to respond to my plea, blooming with the heart, hands, and feet of Jesus. My how incredibly blessed I am to gaze upon such radiance!

(PS- hit a bonanza of really cute maternity clothes at Goodwill!)
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Acts 20:35 

In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Luke 6:38 

Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

Proverbs 11:24-25 

One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.

Luke 21:1-4 

Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”