A different kind of prayer tonight... the power of flowers in jail

Many of my readers know that when I visit here in Georgetown, Colorado I join in a weekly prayer group led by my sister, Ruth, at the Clear Creek County Jail. My sister always brings along a small plastic container holding 3 or 4 blossoms (see above) which she sets in the middle of the table around which we gather.  Before we pray, Ruth always tells the men what the flowers are and invariably they pass the mini-arrangement around the table for a closer look.

Running a little late this past Thursday night we almost didn't bring any flowers - but at the last minute, my sister collected a few blooms from her front yard and then while we were waiting outside the facility for a deputy to let us in, I plucked a couple wildflowers growing at the jail's entrance and added them in.

 As the men walked into the room for prayer, we saw that there was a newcomer, a tall guy, solid build - and with long dreadlocks - I'll call him Jack. We welcomed Jack and as it happened, he took a seat near the flowers on the table. Just as we were ready to begin, Jack exclaimed - and he truly did exclaim: Are those real flowers? We said yes and he said, I haven't seen a flower in over a year - can I touch them? Then he took the small bottle in hand and carefully inspected each blossom, touching the petals oh-so-gently and sniffing the scent of something fresh, natural and beautiful.  Then Jack set the flowers down on the table - with the care one might use in handling something valuable, fragile and precious.

We can't take phones into the jail so I have no video - and my words here don't really do justice to the moment of awe and appreciation we all experienced through Jack on Thursday night.  But I wanted to post this, hoping to share with you - and invite you into - this holy moment...

Perhaps sometime today or tomorrow you might go outdoors and find something fresh, alive and beautiful and hold it gently in your hand.. and be grateful for what Jack taught us - and for what God has given us - in the simplest things of life...

In the photo at the top of the post is the small bottle my sister uses to bring flowers into the jail.  I want to share with you the partially hidden inscription: Learn from the way the wildflowers grow... Matthew 6:28

Simple Gifts

  composed by Elder Joseph Brackett 

`  performed by Yo Yo Ma and Alison Krauss  

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'Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free 

'Tis the gift to come down where you ought to be, 

And when we find ourselves in the place just right, 

'Twill be in the valley of love and delight. 

 

When true simplicity is gained, 

To bow and to bend we will not be ashamed, 

To turn, turn will be our delight, 

Till by turning, turning we come ’round right. 

 

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