A lily of the valley

 "I am the rose of Sharon, The lily of the valleys.

 Like a lily among the thorns.."

 Song of Solomon 2:1-2a

 ~*~*~*~

  For those of you who know me, you know that my favorite color is yellow. I love all things yellow! So naturally, my favorite flower would my yellow rose bush. It is the most beautiful rose, with  petals that range from a soft butter yellow, to a vivid pink! I've seen a rose to pretty! I've been diligently tending this plant for a few months now, but no flowers have yet to grace it's leaves. Tonight, as I was tending it I was reminded of how this rose is like a young lady's life. As a gardener I am eagerly awaiting that first bud opening. I am excited to see the beauty that is hidden in that bud. Now, I can go out there and rip a bud open to see it's glory, but the petals are so delicate they would rip, and all it's beauty would be gone forever. A good gardener knows to let her plant be and when it is ready, it will bloom on it's own. Each bud blooms at it's own time, each one has it's own beauty, none are exactly alike. It is the same with us. 

      Young ladies, somewhere out there is a man of God just waiting to watch us unfold our petals. A man who has eagerly awaited and prayed for a "rose of Sharon, a lily of the valley." A woman who's purity and inward beauty shines forth like a rose newly bloomed. How do you think our man would feel if he came into our lives to find that we had already started blooming before the season was right- to find us torn and tarnished? Once we start blooming, it is too late to undo what has started. Just like a rose cannot fold back into it's self, so too we cannot. What has been given away can never be taken back. 

        Dear sisters, our hearts are "like a garden that needs to be protected and kept clean." (Sarah Maley)

The enemy will do anything to destroy that garden. We must stand strong in our fight to remain pure, to hide our beauty from that which would destroy it. I know this is hard. As we get older, our desire grows to find our "Prince Charming," to be loved with that kind of love. Trust me, I get this. The wait can often seem unending, and that is when Satan sneaks in to whisper his malicious lies into your heart. THAT is when we must guard our hearts more than ever before! But there is nothing more rewarding than the beauty of a God given relationship, in HIS timing.

 

"The sharp thorn often produces delicate roses." -Ovid 

   I believe in arranged marriages, but I believe that GOD is the one doing the arranging and when the time is right we will get our "happy ending," ( or rather, our happy beginning.) "Can you imagine anything better than a couple who is just right for each other coming together in exactly the right way at the right time?? Only GOD can bring about something so perfect!" -Sarah Maley

 
              "You are a garden locked up, my sister, my bride; 
                   you are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain."
                                  Song of Solomon 4:12
                                          "For His glory!"