The Red Poppy
In a deep funk a few weeks ago, having just confessed and apologized to Paul for my mean comments the day before, I suggested we take a morning walk. We both had slept poorly, jet-lag and the previous night’s misunderstanding combined.
As we headed out to the driveway, I spotted something red in the flower bed near the pool, the one with raspberries and rosemary. Intrigued, I walked over to it, and to my great surprise, found a red poppy. A lone red poppy peeking out from between the raspberry leaves.
I was shocked. I have red poppies all over the house, in paintings and potholders, on pillows and tablecloths. But never in our almost 20 years of living in this house, have I had a poppy in our yard.
And so once again, You winked.
I didn’t want it, Lord, Your wink. I was in a real funk, a dangerous tilting toward depression from debilitating self-criticism. But You winked.
It didn’t make everything all right in my heart and spirit, but I was better, and I felt that awe and gratefulness deep down, that ‘known-ness’, that whisper of “I love you.” That breeze of grace.
The walk and discussion didn’t make everything all right, but better, too. And when we came back into the yard I marveled that You would break through my chains of debilitating self-criticism with the stain of a bright red poppy.
Elizabeth Musser 
When I was visiting Israel several years ago, I was drawn to the red poppies scattered here and there. I took a picture of one like yours, alone in a dry and dusty land. That framed picture aways reminds me of the blood of Jesus, shed for my sins. What grace!
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I love the flowers in France, especially the coquelicots 🙂 I had a similar experience last week with strawberries, when I found one tiny strawberry in our garden. It was a reminder of God’s goodness in our our lives.
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The older we get we seem to recognize God’s hand in our lives as well as in those around us! It s just over and over confirmation that he is involved in every little thing! Joy!
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And HIS blood will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Good for you to see and KNOW!
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Isn’t the Lord amazing!We have a crocus that blooms every year,that I didn’t plant. It’s the first flower of spring here in Minnesota so I look for it every year. Always makes me happy,
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Thank You, Jesus!
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“I was in a real funk, a dangerous tilting toward depression from debilitating self-criticism.” This sentence in your post that so resonated with me is why I thanked Jesus for giving you His Gracious wink in that surprising red poppy that you found on the day you most needed it.
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