Because I always got a flower on
Sunday morning, I really did not think much of it.
It was a nice gesture that I appreciated but it
became routine. One Sunday, however, what I
considered ordinary became very special.

As I was leaving the Sunday service a young man
approached me. He walked right up to me and
said, "Sir, what are you going to do with
your flower?" At first I did not know what he was
talking about, but then I understood.

I said, "Do you mean this?"
as I pointed to the rose pinned to my coat.

He said, "Yes sir. I would like it if you are just
going to throw it away."

At this point I smiled and gladly told him that
he could have my flower, casually asking him what
he was going to do with it.

The little boy, who was probably less than 10 years
old, looked up at me and said, "Sir, I'm going to give
it to my granny. My mother and father got divorced
last year. I was living with my mother, but when she
married again, she wanted me to live with my father.
I lived with him for a while, but he said I could not stay,
so he sent me to live with my grandmother. She is so
good to me. She cooks for me and takes care of me.
She has been so good to me that I want to give that
pretty flower to her for loving me."

When the little boy finished I could hardly speak. My eyes
filled with tears and I knew I had been touched in the
depths of my soul. I reached up and unpinned my flower.
With the flower in my hand, I looked at the boy and said,
"Son, that is the nicest thing I have ever heard, but you
can't have this flower because it's not enough.
If you'll look in front of the pulpit, you'll see a big bouquet
of flowers. Different families buy them for the church each
week. Please take those flowers to your granny because
she deserves the very best."

If I hadn't been touched enough already, he made one last
statement and I will always cherish it. He said, "What a
wonderful day! I asked for one flower but got a beautiful
bouquet."

What are you asking God for today...flowers or bouquet's?
By Pastor John R. Ramsey

from A 2nd Helping of Chicken Soup
Copyright 1995 by Jack Canfield