Before the 2006 Dragonfly Ministries Retreat began, my friend Carolyn and I spent a day in Dallas.  She had never been to Dallas before and I wanted to show her some of the sights.  Most of all I wanted her to see the gardens at the Dallas Arboretum.  In my sixteen years in Texas this was the place I loved the most and I wanted to share it with my best friend.  Besides that, Carolyn is blessed with a green thumb so I thought the arboretum would be a thrill for her and it was… for both of us.  There are so many beautiful gardens, with an enormous variety of plants and flowers, and breathtaking colors. 

As Carolyn and I moved from garden to garden we came upon one that was quite different from the rest.  It was tucked away on the outskirts of the arboretum.  There wasn’t anything particularly appealing about this garden. There wasn’t an intricate floral pattern, nor was the garden flanked by pieces of artwork as other gardens were.  It was simply a garden with different plants and flowers growing in it.  The only thing unique to this garden was a sign, which read, “test garden.”  Here, the arboretum’s master gardeners would give plants a test drive.  If they performed well, if their blooms were lovely enough, bright enough, big enough… if they thrived in the Texas soil they would be promoted to the big gardens.  We both thought that was quite interesting, then moved onto another “real” arboretum garden.

After our brief visit in Dallas we headed over to Mineola, Texas for our Women’s Retreat.  I can’t even begin to put into words all that happened there, or the way God tenderly ministered to each of our needs.  From the gifted speakers and talented praise & worship team, to the frequent little gifts left for each of us (by our friend, Karis), and Johnnie’s delicious “home cooking.”  Our Spiritual cups were filled to overflowing, as were our bellies. 

When I fell asleep, my last night at Kaleo Lodge, I had a dream.  God returned me to the “test garden” at the arboretum.  There was something I missed seeing when I was there that He wanted to show me.   He pointed out to me the wilted flowers, the plants that weren’t doing so well.  He then showed me how it doesn’t matter if we are glorious or wilted, that in our Christian walk all are important.  How when we become new in Christ we don’t have to prove that we are good enough, or strong enough.  We are accepted for who we are, because we are made perfect through the perfect blood of the Lamb.  When we figure this out God scoops us up into His hands, lovingly carries us out of the test garden and takes us to His own exquisite garden and transplants us there… We are His for eternity.  We get to be in His awesome presence, to bask in His wondrous light and shine brightly for Him as He walks among us and takes pleasure in our beauty.  Don’t know how I missed seeing that, but I’m glad He took me back there – cause it was something I sorely needed to see.

At breakfast the next morning, I sat down at the table and noticed that each of us had been given a little gift to start the day.  It was a package of “Flower Garden Mix” seeds with a verse that read, “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.” – Isaiah 40:8.   Of course there’d be a package of flower garden seeds waiting for me on the table and of course my very favorite verse was written on it… what else would I expect from a perfect, loving God.  And what better way for Him to remind me of our visit in the garden.  How blessed I am to have those seeds, to plant in my own little garden at home… to watch them grow this spring and to be reminded of God’s love and this wonderful retreat.  

Patty