I’ve always loved the BBC comedy show “Keeping Up Appearances.” In the Chicago area, it played at 7:30 pm every Saturday night. My mom also loved this program, especially the hilarious character at the center of every episode, Hyacinth Bucket, “…pronounced ‘Bou-quet’!”
For a year or so before Mom died, Nate graciously volunteered to eat Saturday evening dinners with his newspapers instead of his wife, letting me spend that weekly time with Mom in her apartment. I made dinner for the three of us, then packed up two plates to take to Mom’s, leaving Nate’s with him.
Every week Mom and I eagerly anticipated Saturday’s dinner-date with each other and “our Hyacinth”, laughing together over her misguided efforts to keep up with the Joneses and hopefully surpass them. If there was anything redeeming about that show, it was learning how not to act, but Mom and I had a delightful time watching Hyacinth scheme and dream.
As for Hyacinth’s name sake, a colorful spring bulb-flower, they’ve always been my favorites. Last Saturday Mary stepped into our door carrying a pot full of them, three hyacinths just on the verge of bursting into bloom. This early preview of spring would soon give off a rich perfume strong enough to fill the room. Even with my damaged olfactory nerves, I could smell trace amounts of their powerful scent, a rare treat.
This morning when I came downstairs, all three blooms had opened to-the-max. They were so lush an
d heavy, their stems were bent sideways. I rushed over and buried my nose in them, enjoying a spring moment in the middle of January, courtesy of my thoughtful sister.
Standing back to admire the hyacinths, I could see they needed more support than their hollow stems were offering. It was a picture of how I felt on many mornings, too, hollow and heavy. Finding an old garden stake in the basement corner, I snapped it in three pieces and gave them the support they needed. Problem solved.
It got me thinking about my situation. What is my garden stake?
I didn’t have to think long. The number one thing shoring me up when I’ve felt limp and low has been prayer, especially prayer that includes the words of Scripture. Praying by using verses of the Bible is my fail-safe way to claim the support and vigor God offers. On a really burdensome day, I can put my name right into the passage as I pray it. God doesn’t mind. After all, his promises are for each of us personally.
Praying through 1 Peter 5:7-9 has encouraged me today: “I’m casting all my worries and concerns on you, Lord, because you promise you’ll care for me. I’m asking you to keep me alert to the evil you tell me is prowling around like a wild animal. The devil wants to spoil my reliance on you as I try to get through this grief. Strengthen me to resist him and stand firm in my faith, knowing many others who trust you through tough times are doing exactly that, all over the world.”
The vivid word pictures of Scripture are helpful. Even today God delivered a fresh visual, the drooping hyacinths, to link me with the practical power in that 1 Peter passage. God was following through on his promise to care for me, reminding me of his provision within each day.
Although television’s Hyacinth demonstrated what not to do, nature’s hyacinth taught me to stay close to the strong stake of scriptural prayer. The results are more satisfying than even the best episode of “Keeping Up Appearances.”
“Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this [grief or pain], that it should leave me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses… hardships… and calamities, for when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:8-10)
Just this evening when I arrived home from Bible study I felt that same evil, prowling animal. Thank you so much for your courage to face it, reminding us all that His Grace is sufficient for each of us and God’s love conquers all. By the way, I love Hyacinth and hyacinths — I think I’ll get myself a plant to remind myself to pray for you and remind myself that God DOES provide stakes to hold us up even when we aren’t aware of our great need for his strength and grace.
my mom and I always watched it together too and our recurring comment was “Poor Richard!”
I was very interested in the wonderful blessing and truth of your blogg this morning and the great counsel and illustration of the flowers.
What however also caught my attention was the backdrop. We don’t ever get those beautiful icicles and quite the white backdrop out our back window here in Phoenix. In fact we are bracing ourselves for another brutal winter day when it won’t even get out of the upper 60’s and will be way down in the 40’s tonight. The wonderful part of all your cold snowy weather is the number of IL, MN, and WI (and maybe OR)family that are lining up to come visit us this winter. They are looking forward to huddling with us next to our gas log to ward off the realities of our cold cloudy Phoenix winter days. (You should have seen the brilliant scarlet sunset tonight.) So if you ever need a respit, we are just two people huddled next to the fire in a house with three empty bedrooms.
One of the few times we ever visited Chicago in the winter was when Mindi was three years old. Her knowledge of trees were our grapefruit and pine trees that were green all winter. After seeing all the barren oak trees at Ione’s house, she asked, “Doesn’t Gramone have any live trees?” Years later she resisted any thought of college in MN, IL, or OH. She went to Biola in southern CA and she and her husband still live there. There must be some metaphor concerning hidden truth in the backgrounds of life’s pictures.
I am praying for the Lord to surround you with warrior angels to do battle on your behalf while you soak in the love and comfort and peace of being wrapped in your “abba” Father’s arms.
Thank you for the beautiful pictures of the hyacinth blooms. They are a reminder of that spring is coming even though we feel cold. God bless you today, Margaret.
This will only make sense to those who watched that silly program, but anytime I nervously gasp in the front passenger seat (when a semi gets too close…or whatever!), David says “Mind the lorry, Richard”
Hi Margaret,
I don’t recognize Hyacinth Bucket, but the hyacinths are sure beautiful- nice touch, Mary! I planted a bunch of bulbs for the first time this past fall so I am hoping for a few fragrant porch sits this spring.
You are so right about praying Scripture. When I became a Christian at age 18 as a university student (go Illini!), I was quickly surrounded by lots of spiritual moms- it takes a village to raise a Christian.:) They invited me to their dinner table, showed me how to study the Word and memorize Scripture, and taught me how to pray. I remember early on being so moved by their prayers… and then I eventually realized what was moving me was the Word as they weaved it into their prayers. My words are just words, but His words- wow- milk, seed, light, power, freedom, discernment…
Your 2 Corinthians passage- my life verses for the past 10 years or so. I have read that passage many times, but one day it just popped out at me- GLORY in my weaknesses. It changed my thinking and outlook from 1 Corinthians 10:13- temptation and trial- only find escape and the ability to endure it? Is that it for my whole life- escape and endurance? And then one day I read those verses in 2 Corinthians 12 and it took me to a whole new place. Contentment and glorying in my weakness- it is my commission as a foot soldier in the cosmic battle- every time I choose Him over my thorn, Satan is defeated and God is glorified. It is my opportunity to tell the Lord I love Him, and it’s buffeting effect has kept me many times from exalting myself as the passage indicates. LOVE that verse!
“Lord, if Your Word had not been our delight, we would perish in our affliction. Sustain Margaret according to Your Word, establish her footsteps in it so that nothing causes her to stumble. She has chosen Your precepts so let Your hand be ready to help her.” Psalm 119.
Love,
Terry
Terry D… Just thought of your “James is on the rampage” comment from a day or so ago. Look out… He may be reading these, thinking about another rampage that might involve you!
“Keeping Up Appearances” was always one of our family favorites, too, and the hyacinth is my favorite spring flower. Thanks for the beautiful illustration of God’s provision.
I’m behind in reading your blogs, Margaret, thus my late comments. Your words here are profound, giving us a beautiful picture of our human frailty and urgent need of God’s help and support. Hyacinths are also one of my favorite spring flowers and I look forward to their appearance and fragrance, though short-lived.
Just as you do, I pray Scripture back to God almost every day. We can’t improve on God’s words and we know He loves His Word. I believe it is the perfect way to pray and “remind” God of His promises, and remind ourselves of our great need and His great provision.
Thank you for the lovely hyacinth picture and for linking it to the powerful lesson of God’s loving care, help and protection. You are loved and appreciated….xo
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