Flowers Can Bring Delight, but Shouldn't be Our First Delight

I attended my first Ikebana class this evening. My flower creation wasn't that good, but I enjoyed trying to fit them together. I must say, coming from England, trimming off the leaves and stalks wasn't easy in my Western-flower-arranging-conscience; it seemed such as shame to lose all the nice 'foliage'! But then the Japanese way is minimalist, and I must say there is is also a beauty in that - when it's done right! Sometimes I caught a glimpse of that; suddenly, as a branch lent a certain way, there was a breathtaking beauty about it.

I have discovered a beautiful verse in the Bible this evening, in Psalms, 37.

'Trust in the Lord and do good;

dwell in the land and enjoy safe

pasture.

Delight yourself in the Lord

and he will give you the desires of

your heart.

...

Be still before the Lord and wait

patiently for him;

do not fret when men succeed in

thier ways,

when they carry out their wicked

schemes.'

It has encouraged me to be happy with a quiet life, as God honours that and brings forth pleasure to those whose first love is Him. This is what he is teaching me right now; even someone in Oxford had this word confirmed to them for me, which is just right.