Lessons From a Roadtrip

“Praise the LORD.

Praise the LORD from the heavens,
Praise him in the heights above.
Praise him, all his angels,
Praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
Praise him, sun and moon
Praise him, all you shining stars.
Praise him, you highest heavens,
And you waters, above the skies.
Let them praise the name of the LORD,
For he commanded and they were created.
He set them in place for ever and ever;
He gave a decree that will never pass away.
Praise the LORD from the earth,
You great sea creatures and all ocean depths,
Lightning and hail, snow and clouds
Stormy winds that do his bidding,
You mountains and all hills,
Fruit trees and all cedars,
Wild animals and all cattle,
Small creatures and flying birds,
Kings of the earth and all nations,
You princes and all rulers on earth,
Young men and maidens,
Old men and children.
Let them praise the name of the LORD,
For his name alone is exalted;
His splendor is above the earth
And the heavens…”

Psalm 148:1-13

I remember when I was little and I saw sunflowers on the television one day. I asked my mom if we could get some. I don’t remember the exact dialogue, (When do I remember the exact dialogue about anything? That’s what Jenna is for.) but something was said about our yard being very shady and it being difficult to grow sunflowers without a lot of sunlight. Being eight, of course I knew everything there was to know about growing flowers and I had learned from Sesame Street that talking to flowers makes them grow much better. Talking was my specialty, so it would be no problem to grow a sunflower. Off to Walmart we went to buy a package of sunflower seeds. Now, the packages of seeds that they sell at Walmart five for a dollar are very misleading. One would assume that a package containing 37 seeds would in turn create 37 flowers. This, however, is not the case. Out of a package of 37 seeds one is lucky to grow one or two flowers. At least, this has been my experience. So that summer we were blessed to grow one sunflower. He wasn’t very pretty. His petals were kind of turned up at the edges and his brown middle wasn’t quite a circle, but more of an elongated oval-type-thing that flopped to one side. His head was a little droopy and all the talking in the world didn’t quite cheer him up. But he inhabited the sunniest place in our backyard, the little nook between the living room window and the edge of our concrete patio. It was an out-of-the-way spot, but it received direct sunlight for most of the afternoon. He was so happy in the afternoon. I suppose that’s what he was made for. Sunlight. It was a good summer.

Saturday Lori, Oleg, Oksana and I were on our way to Poltava. It was hot and the day was certainly sunny. We rounded a curve and more sunflowers than you could ever imagine entered our view. Sunflowers stretched from horizon to horizon, arms stretched out in pure ecstasy, heads straining to reach the heavens. I’d be hard-pressed to think of anything I’ve ever seen that was more beautiful. It was then that Oleg Magdych mentioned something to me that I’d heard before but forgotten about. Funny thing about sunflowers. When the sun is shining they lift up their faces to the sun. I suppose that’s where they got their name. I couldn’t help but to get this image of sunflowers lifting their leaves not to the sun, but to their Creator. Fields of singing sunflowers praising the One who made them to lift up their heads.

Sometimes I forget that we’re not the only ones created for praise. And maybe we can all learn something from the sunflowers. I ask myself when was the last time I ever just stood in the sunlight and lifted up my head, happy to be in the presence of God?

“Do not be quick with your mouth,
Do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God.
God is in heaven and you are on earth,
So let your words be few…
…Therefore stand in awe of God.”

Ecclesiastes 5:2 & 7