flowers for two brothers

I have two brothers with birthdays in July, though one has stopped aging.

Ronnie is forever 58 years old.

At the beginning of this year, when Asbury Memorial posted the Flower Calendar, I checked the dates to see if any might be important for me...

and there it was...

July 6th.

The exact day of Ronnie's birth.

I immediately wrote my name as the donor for that Sunday's sanctuary flowers.

The first thing I did with my tax refund check was pay that $70 fee.

By that time, I had decided that act would be a gift for Smitty, too, as his birthday would be on the 9th, the following Wednesday.

Perfect.

The wording on the program today was as I wanted it.

Reverend Billy Hester, there for his last sermon before his summer break, was the one who read those words during the 'Announcements', looking at me as he did so.

Very nice.

 

"The flowers for today's worship service are given by Faustina Smith

in memory of her brother, Ronald Allen Smith,

and in honor of her brother Harvey Goodwin Smith's birthday." 

 

Thanks, Randy, for making that happen.

 

After the sermon, we had communion, as this is the first Sunday of July.

That's me, in my purple "Cancer shirt" that I wore specifically for today.

Ronnie's name is on that ribbon, as are those of Daddy, Grandpa Lee, Great-Uncle Sam, stepbrother George, and mother-in-law Pat.  

That represents five decades of loss to lung and intestinal cancers.

 

Candace sent an email to me early this week to ask what was to become of the flowers after the service.

Did I want to have them?

I told her I would rather they be part of the Flower Ministry and given to people whose day needed brightening.

Here are some of them, waiting to be delivered to folks recovering from surgery or illness, to folks needing loss adjustment, or people with special birthdays.

I am so grateful to be part of that blessing to others.

i thank You, God.