It is the custom at St. Mary’s that we send the Sunday altar flowers to visitors and folks who might need a little pick me up: recovering from surgery, birthday, because your name jumped into our hearts.

Dedicated volunteers arrange the flowers and other dedicated volunteers deliver them. Just a way to share a bit of God’s beauty.

I walked into my office yesterday morning to see a single, beautiful, yellow rose on my desk. A yellow rose from Sunday’s flowers.

My mom- who died in 2006 when I was in college- loved yellow roses. They were her favorite. My family and I laid yellow roses on her grave stone. My dad and I held a yellow rose when we danced the father/daughter dance at my wedding.

To some the yellow rose may belong to Texas. But to me it is my mom, and it was a gift to see her on my desk this week.  Gratitude to the person who left it there- you have no idea of the enormity of this little gesture.

May this serve as a gentle reminder that it is the little gifts- the little gestures of love and tenderness- that swell the hearts of those who receive them.