A Bit of Beauty

As Noel stood near the visitor center on Trail Ridge Road, she could see patches of snow far up on the mountainsides. The few trees in the area above the timberline had been dwarfed and twisted by the icy winds of winter. But summer had come, and tiny white and yellow flowers were waving their bright heads as if dancing to music."Look, Noel," said Dad when they walked over to see the flowers in a field next to the visitor center. He knelt among them and gently cupped one of the fragile, white blossoms in his hand. "See how tiny this flower is! But isn't it beautiful? There must be a million of these!""That one has a torn petal though," said Noel."I see that," answered Dad. "Yet here it is--adding its own little bit to the beauty of this place. Even though it's tiny and not perfect, it has a purpose in being here--just like all the other things in God's world." Noel wondered what her father was getting at, but she didn't ask. As they drove back down the mountain a little later, Dad said, "I think the purpose of that little flower was to remind me of you, Noel. You've lived through some cold and blustery times in your life."Noel knew what Dad meant. She had been sick many of her early childhood years. As a result, she had to wear hearing aids. She was also a grade behind other kids her age in school."I know you sometimes feel small and unimportant," continued Dad. "But I want you to remember that you have a purpose. You mean so much to us--and to God."Noel thought about the tiny flower adding its small bit of beauty to the world. She gave her dad a little smile. "And you think I can add a little beauty to where God has put me?""I know you can," Dad assured her. "You already do. Jesus died for you so you could be God's child, and He understands everything you've been through. Because you know Him, you can show the beauty of His love to others."Noel grinned. "Okay," she said. "If a tiny flower with a torn petal can add beauty to the world, I can too! And with God helping me, I will!" –Trudy VanderVeen