Water Lillies and S'mores

This story is dedicated to my childhood friends Sandy and Penny and to my daughter Susan who finds beauty in the simplest things. It's for Abigail also because she taught Scott how to make S'mores after they were married. How did I manage to not teach him that?



S'mores
Hershey chocolate bars
Toasted marshmallows
Graham crackers
Friends and a campfire

Gather with friends at a campfire. Toast marshmallows over the fire on a stick or metal clothes hanger. Place the toasted marshmallow on top of the Hershey bar which is placed first on one graham cracker. Top with a second graham cracker and enjoy the melted chocolate and gooey center with giggling friends.

I love this picture of water lillies. I remember the first time I saw these beautiful flowers on a lake when I was a young teenager at church camp. My friend Sandy talked me into taking a rowboat to see them up close. It was not until I wanted to touch them that she told me she could not swim and had never been in a rowboat. She was clueless as to how to get back to shore. I was so surprised and asked her "why did you suggest we come if you did not know how to row or swim?". She said "I trusted you and knew if you did not know how, you would say 'no'". Great! I probably weighed 80 pounds and here I am in the middle of a lake with no other boats around with a girl who could not swim. Luckily, the camp had life vests in the boats so I was relieved that if she fell in, there was a chance she would not sink.

I touched the water lillies. They were slimy underneath and the roots went to the bottom of the water. They were not magically floating flowers as they appeared from a distance. They had roots nobody could see and their beauty is not fragile. They are meant to be seen but not swept up like other flowers. I was so thankful that I got the chance to see them up close but quickly gave a quick "thanks" under my breath to my dad and brothers who taught me to row a boat and swim.

My friend Penny is like those water lillies. From a distance, she has always seemed so serene and her quiet personality made our school friends think she was shy. To some degree she was and is but up close, she remains steadfast to her faith and no waves in life are too tough for her to weather. Look closer at your friends. You may get a glimpse of beauty that you did not see before, but God always has enjoyed.

Proverbs 16:3 "commit your works to the Lord and your thoughts will be established".

Love,
Nana