Coffee date, flowers & extravagant love...

I'm so thankful for friends, I have to say.
This afternoon, rather than being tempted to do something that might not be so helpful for me, one of my best friends encouraged me to get out into the great outdoors, 'cease that day' (and sunshine- though not sure where that went!) and go for a walk- and as a good, life's running partner: to share some pics with her of my discoveries on my exploration. I do love a mini exploration- anyone else?!
So stepping out into the chilly weather with my many comfortable layers on of course, and my favourite cool rainbow trainers, I was on my way! Where to go I thought...?

As I caught sight of the florist across the road; surprisingly looking open on a Sunday- I headed in that direction. Gazing at the beauty of nature's creation,  inhaling their sweet aroma, flowers of all kinds... oh happy soul. We both enjoy this tulip season and co-incidentally both currently have pretty tulips in our homes. We'd joked (my best friend and I) about how I'd love to go to Amsterdam one day and see all the pretty flowers. She'd shared in turn, how her bulbs she'd actually picked up in Amsterdam were starting to shoot! :)
*Click, snap* first photo taken!

      I decided to take my journey futher on down to Prater. A funny place. A cool, city park with a long straight path, the Allee, on one side, and then on the other: an amusement park. Many years as a teenager were spent hanging out at various amusement parks and I have many fun memories from those days. So I headed that way first.

      You have to laugh. I do think God has a sense of humour! The more I spend time with him, discovering his character, taking time to listen to his still, small voice and encountering many random cicumstances he seems to put in my path- some of which, I swear he's just like papa God up in there in heaven thinking, 'let's do this one for the lols, to make her laugh and smile!'.
So anyway, back in Prater and this guy, around 50 years old, has stopped to ask me to  take a picture of him infront of the ghost train! Being the helpful photographer I tried to be, I pleasingly got him to check the photo(s)... I think in the end we took about 5 photos before he had exactly what he wanted, framed in the picture perfectly. Then he asked me very politely, pulling out his map, 'Is it just amusements here, no historical sights??' I had to smile as I responded that no it was just amusements here really, and directed him to the area of historical sights, already efficiently marked on his map. Ah Prater, you random, crazy, fun place! Glad to help out a confused tourist. Maybe where he was from, there are no such concepts like that of a fairground. Later on, I had to smile again as I passed by him filming the bumper cars.
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      Going for a coffee with Jesus was something that came up randomly yesterday with a bunch of us 18-30s who were sat at my end of the table, after church.
As I was sat with a Ukranian, Italian, Brazilian and an Austrian, we spoke of how sometimes when you're living in a foreign country, or maybe when you reach a certain age, you end up exploring the possibility of doing things on your own, like going out to a restaurant or to the cinema independently. Someone commented on how they enjoy going for a coffee on their own to have a think. I agreed; and then it led onto the thought about the concept of going for a coffee with Jesus. Someone humorously commented on how they had tried it but Jesus didn't drink his coffee, we joked about the water into wine idea, which bounced back with the response that He had had all the choices in the world- but he still didn't drink it! But there was a nice resonation, as we reflected on how Jesus isn't here physically with us in body right now, but he is with us by his spirit, so in fact whenever we drink coffee he is always there, Emmanuel, God with us. The concept of taking time to really be with him, to connect with his spirit and listen to what he might want to say to us, is an intentional thing though. God is a gentleman, he doesn't demand and barge his way in, even though his heart is, that he'd love us to invite him in for coffee and chat over a few things.

       As I sat there, now in the McDonalds McCafe (having picked up my free mug) with my cappucino and caramel cheesecake; somehow getting distracted by the people closeby, arranging an arabic-german radio/tv business deal... I decided to open up my bible app.
I've recently been reminded of the promises found within psalm 37. As I read over it slowly again, the words kinda washed over me and I felt God's presence with me there in that moment.
So many of those words, I've been experiencing their practical outworking in my life recently, so it was an encouragement and confirmation, sign-postings to a God who loves me and is at work.

     
      Heading back home, I was reflecting on the message our pastor Angela had for us at church yesterday. She encouraged us to remember the promises God has given us, not just in His truth found in his word (though also so valuable), but the specific ones he has spoken over us personally.  She also encouraged us to take with us one of her 12 tips for 'muscle training' for our spiritual lives. As 'physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.' (1 Timothy 4:8). The tip I most felt drawn to right now was the one about taking time to receive a whole load of God's love; simply coming to the Father and receiving his love for you from time spent in his presence.
       As I walked past the florists again, for some weird reason, I felt like I should buy the nice, big, bunch of yellow tulips I'd seen earlier. They were a certain price (and not being on a huge wage this year), I kind of considered that it might be a bit excessive (I'd also recently purchased some happy, peach ones as a blessing for our home for Valentine's Day)... but I felt like Jesus was encouraging me in my heart to do this, as it was a symbol of his extravagant love for me.
I decided to enter the shop itself and have a little gander at the other arrangements and plants for that price. The gentleman politely asked if he could help me, and I responded that I was looking for something around said price range of the yellow tulips. He recommended the beautiful shades of pink/peach roses at a good price of 1 euros per stem/rose. I smiled as being pale skinned, with fair auburn hair and freckles people over the years have said that I'm a 'typical English rose', which is a nice compliment that i sweetly accept! So to make it a whole number, I decided on the yellow bunch of tulips and one pretty pink rose and handed the man the bank note.
'Why the yellow tulips?' I pondered, carrying my wrapped flowers...as honestly the pink/lilac ones would be my default.

Then a certain word/memory/promise, came back to me...

In the days when I was around 15, a time where I really discovered for the first time the personal love God has for us, that he really genuinely likes us, as the beautiful individuals he's created us to be... it was during receiving prayer, from someone I didn't really know, who prayed for me and felt God say that...
'You are His Little Miss Sunshine, and that your smile and laughter bring joy to people!'
Wow! Those words hit me like a ton of bricks when I first heard them... how wonderful.


...Maybe that's why God chose the yellow ones. <3