Anne's favorite flower is the Iris. I asked her one-day why it
was her preferred flower and she replied, "It was my grandma's favorite
flower!" Anne loved her grandmother very much. Anne
would travel as a young girl with her grandma and grandpa Dalzell in their
motor home when her grandparents went on evangelical trips. They would hold revival meetings across the
U.S. and Canada. Since Anne was home schooled, it was not an issue with her
studies, she could take them with her, and her grandparents would teach her on
the road. I remember Anne telling me how
the real life experiences changed her while traveling all over the U.S. and
Canada.
Anne’s grandma (Margie) was a gentle spirit; you could find her
always busily preparing the next meal or when time allowed, reading a
book. Her love for service to others and
learning never stopped even when she was in her late 80s.
When traveling with her grandparents, Anne told me that they
would many times be invited to people’s homes for dinner after the revival meetings. Anne recalls eating at very spacious homes,
rich with many luxurious things around them. While at other times, Anne knew
that a particular family was going to short their food budget by inviting them
over to their humble home. She said that
they would cheerfully give with joy, kindness and humility. It was a lesson that Anne would take with her
to this present day. In retrospect, as a
teacher, I have learned that many important lessons are indeed learned outside
of the classroom.
Now when I look at the Iris’ that grow in our garden, I see so
much more than the beauty of the flower.
I believe that God gives us reminders like these, which help us to
remember people and events that are an important part of our past and present,
reminders that warm our hearts. Margie’s
legacy goes on past her lifetime into the hearts of her children, grandchildren
and now great grandchildren, along with the many thousands of lives she touched
when serving the Lord. All of these
things can now be seen in a simple flower, the Iris.
