It took more than 30 years of gardening. Finally, I’m not afraid anymore to put the brightest colors in my garden. In fact a couple years ago, in order to include the vivid kniphofia and the Black-Eyed Susans, I expanded the area that used to be a sweet corn patch to create a garden specifically for the loudest orange and yellow flowers. I call it, for lack of a better term, my “Sassy and Brassy” bed.
It’s really quite amazing that some of these colors even exist in the plant world. The bright Condilla daylily is almost “Day-Glo” orange. The first time it bloomed, my thought was “I didn’t know daylilies came in neon shades!” Then there is the huge, bright yellow and gold “Butter Pecan” daylily showing off as the summer wears on. Vivid splashes of color from the coleus round out the scene.
The warm yellows of the rudbeckias almost seem to mirror the feeling of the hot July and August days in which they bloom. It’s as if they are reminding us that heat can be a good thing.
I’m still trying to convince a friend of mine to add these loud colors to her garden, but they are not her favorites. She, like me, prefers the cool colors of lavender, purple, and pink.
My mission to spread the bold colors around is not that urgent. I admire gardens that are color-coordinated with two or three subtle tones. Each garden has its own personality, and a bold color scheme is not for everyone.
What we do want to accomplish is to add boldness to our faith. “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16, NKJV). We have a loving Father who wants us to be close to him. Why should we shy away in fear?
Of course we have a healthy respect for God as the Creator. We are in awe of his power and majesty. This should not keep us at arm’s length from him, though. He knows our flimsy and imperfect nature. In the previous verse, the writer tells why we possess that boldness to approach God as a familiar Father. We have a High Priest who accompanies us! “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).
We often stress how important it is to follow God’s words and do his will, and with good reason. Our boldness does not come from having done that, however. Our confidence before God comes solely because of his mercy and his understanding of our frailties. We have confidence to approach our awesome God because Jesus made it possible.
As we become more bold before God’s throne, we will also become more bold in our own work for him. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).
This allows us to accomplish more and more for him!
Once I made room for my Kniphofia and Rudbeckia, I added some coreopsis and fiery orange daylilies. The garden colors are heating up! Let our lives and our spirits heat up with boldness, as well.
Christine (Tina) Berglund @ www.forthright.net