It's 4'O'Clock Somewhere

4 O’Clocks are pretty little flowers that bloom daily from Spring until Fall. My mother-in-law calls them trash flowers because they put out new blossoms every day, and sheds the old leaves and seeds everywhere.

My mom and I got some seeds at my cousin’s wedding. My mom loves them, so when she moved in with us, she planted them right outside the garage, by the brick wall next to where she parks her car. They are just at eye level, and she can see them daily. And so do I.

For the past few years, I have gathered the seeds and put them in a container every few days. Today was different. Today, I noticed something about these tiny, delicate flowers. I noticed they are a lesson from God.

As I was harvesting the seeds, I noticed they were all sitting there waiting in the well of the leaves. They didn’t fall out unless shaken. Then I realized that these tiny flowers always point upward, praising their creator, God, just as we should. I began looking closer at the blooms that were there. I know 4 O’Clocks bloom daily. Each day, they bloom, die, and produce a seed. Just like God’s blessings are new every morning (Lam 3:23), these plants produce a beautiful blossom daily. 

Another thing I noticed was the blossoms were different colors: pink, yellow, orange, and some, a combination. Since these are some of my favorite flowers to draw and paint, I knew they were different colors. Today was different. These different colors are like the colors of our world. God created us individually. We’re not all one color, but rather all colors, all living together in His image. Each is unique.

Then, the seeds. I can pick up seeds every day. When the flower dies, a seed replaces it in the well of leaves. These plants sow seeds daily, just as we are to do. The seed is the product of its life. Even when these seeds fall on the rocks I’ve placed in the flower bed, the seeds fall between the pebbles, seeking the fertile soil and growing.

So, as I sit here, I think. I wish we could follow God’s plan as easily as this flower.

Grow where God has placed us. Bloom daily, reflecting God’s love and light. Live among our fellow men in harmony. And produce seeds of faith to grow His kingdom. And always, always, keep our heads held high in constant praise of our creator.

It’s 4 O’Clock Somewhere.