The Smell Of Happiness
The Smell of Happiness
Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.
On a whim, Jaclyn grabbed a bag of hyacinth bulbs and turned to her aunt. “I saw a really cool video about getting bulbs to bloom in the middle of winter. Do you think we can try it?”
“Oh! I love hyacinths,” her aunt said. “They smell better than tulips and can be white, purple, or pink.” Her aunt patted her niece on the back as Jaclyn placed the bulbs in the cart.
One sunny afternoon in late December, Jaclyn pulled the bulbs out of the veggie drawer of the garage refrigerator where she’d been storing them. “I’m so excited to try this,” Jaclyn said as she and her aunt set out their supplies on the kitchen counter.
“I brought these tiny bud vases that will hold one bulb each,” her aunt said. “I thought you might like to give them to your friends.”
Jaclyn gently placed a bulb on the top of each bud vase, allowing the bottom of the bulb to just barely kiss the water before lining them up on top of the windowsill above the kitchen sink. It didn’t take long before the bulbs started shooting up the first hints of green, followed by narrow leaves, and after several weeks, tiny flower stalks began appearing.
As each hyacinth bulb began to flower, Jaclyn asked God who should get that flower and then delivered it to her friend. With each one, she included a little note in which she wrote a verse and three things she admired about her friend.
Isn’t it fun to give our friends gifts that make them happy? It’s one of my favorite things. Did you know that God also gives gifts? James tells us that all the good things in our life are gifts from God. That means that God sends all the things that make you happy! Isn’t that an incredible thought?
Things to Think About
- What homemade gifts have you received from friends?
- Make a list of craft or art projects you could create to share with your friends. What supplies do you need? Do you need help from an adult you love?
DAILY ACT OF FRIENDSHIP
Buy hyacinth, tulip, or daffodil bulbs in the fall and force them to bloom in the winter so you can give them away as gifts. Or choose another craft project to make as gifts!
Friendship in Action
How to force bulbs: Buy a package of hyacinth, daffodil, or tulip bulbs in the fall and put them in your refrigerator until December or January. Fill small vases or jars half full of pretty rocks or marbles and add water until the rocks are only partly in the water. Snuggle your bulbs into the rocks so they are barely touching the water. Place your vase in a sunny window, making sure to keep the water barely touching the base of the bulb. You can expect your bulbs to root, grow, and eventually blossom in four to six weeks! When they are ready, give your flower vases to friends with a special note.
From the book
