Mabel Lucie Attwell (1879-1964), British illustrator.
Genesis 1:29
English Standard Version (ESV)
29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.
I hate sunflowers. Well, maybe hate is too strong of a word, so how about intense dislike? I once thought them fine and pretty and their seeds tasty; but, after battling them in my former Texas backyard jungle, I no longer like them, not at all. The were strong and grew quickly, more like small trees, than delicate flowers, and threatened to overtake my yard; so I went after them one day, under the hot Texas sun hospitable to only chiggers, fire ants and tarantulas and dug them out. It was a thoroughly miserable job. They are not uprooted easily, and just when you think you've got them all, more would rise up, volunteers all. I learned recently that sunflowers are not only harvested in the Ukraine but are also admired in folklore and tradition. Now because I've been praying for the people of the Ukraine and their crisis with Russian leadership and because I've been admiring their bravery throughout, I ought to reconsider my dislike for the sunflower. They are a gift from God, after all. Forgive me, though, if I just admire them from afar.
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