Strength in Weakness: Lessons from Phacelias

 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. Heb. 10:25

And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. Lev. 26:8

non-descript single phacelia

By: Carol McClain @carol_mcclain


When someone mentions the Great Smoky Mountains, most people think of sweeping vistas and giant bears.

At this time of year, different sightseers hunt the wilds. Wildflowers abound in spring. This week I fell in love with the lowly phacelia which come in both purple and white.

a purple variant

Walking Old Sugarlands, we found a few. In this area, they were white phacelia growing in single clumps. Bending over to examine them, I discovered a beauty I could never have imagined, and of course my camera couldn't capture them either.

Tiny white, cup-shaped flowers were topped with a fringe that reminded me of a ballerina's tulle tutu.

Then we hit the Chimney's Picnic area. Here the fields were white with them, and no longer could any of my friends and I breathe because these flowers stole our breath.

Sweeping vistas of flowers carpeted the ground like snow. As a group, no one could deny the beauty each individual added to the scene.

This is us.

1. No one can deny the beauty of the individual. No matter how insignificant each of us feels, how hidden in the recesses of life, we are beautiful.
2. There is strength in numbers. By ourselves we may not seem strong or noticeable. As a group, no one can deny our strength.
3. It's not good to be alone. It's then that we get trampled or lost in the grand views of life. Together we can change our world.

Quick Tweets.

Strength in weakness: consider the phacelia. (Click to tweet)

You are beautiful no matter how small. (Click to tweet)

What Is Perfection? I'll Show you: Photo Expose

Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. Luke 12:27

By: Carol McClain @carol_mcclain

One of my favorite spots in the Montreal Botanical Gardens. If you ever want to see perfection, go there--especially from now until early summer.

On an ordinary day, this piece of paradise will awe you. In 2013 they offered a Mosaicculture. The work could stun an archangel.

Who, in her own ability could match the above floral arrangements?

And far better photographs than mine can be found at: http://www.amusingplanet.com/2013/07/mosaiculture-exhibition-2013-at.html

Galax--hand-polished by the Creator

Friends and I love to hike the Smoky Mountains. Unlike the stupendous Adirondacks, they don't offer a non-stop sweeping vista. As we walk, we hardly ever look up. But down? A world, insane to see is there for our viewing.

Pat, Marcia and Annie Margaret taught me to look closely and discover a beauty that rivals the grandeur of botanical gardens. Crawling under leaves to get a shot, I discovered Dutchman's Pipe.

Tucked along the path are the inspiration for Georgia O'Keefe's Jack-in-the-Pulpits.

In the Galax, God, Himself, bowed down and polished each leaf to a high gloss.

And Cinderella's glass slipped never rivaled the Lady Slippers we discovered.

So, too, in our lives, we don't have to be mosaicultures. As wild flowers, we offer the world the perfection of God.

Unexpected, we discovered
over 20 pink Ladies' Slippers

the Dutchman's Pipe, found by looking under the leaves

Cinderella in all her glory was not arrayed like this

More beautiful than a Georgia O'Keefe

Quick Tweets

Even Solomon couldn't rival these. Click to tweet.
Don't strive. You are perfect in Christ. Click to tweet.