The Rose and The Zucchini

 Yesterday I got home from work and saw a beautiful bud on the rose bush by my door. I took tyme to stop and smell the rose and to take its picture. I oooed and ahhhed and praised God for His beautiful creation and then went on about my evening.

 I got home from work today and saw the same rose bud I saw yesterday, only today it was no longer a bud, but an opened up, young rose. I stopped, smelled, pictured, oooed and ahhhed again, all the while thinking, “wow, what a difference a day makes”!

I went inside and got busy preparing dinner, making yet another zucchini dish from the blessing and bounty of my garden. As I chopped the rather large zucchini, I remembered how small it was the day before. In fact, when I picked it, I had a hard tyme convincing myself it was actually the same zucchini as the day before, but it was in the same spot, attached to the same vine, so it had to be the same zucchini. I chopped along thinking, “wow, what a difference a day makes”!

Then it dawned on me that we are all like roses and zucchini because each of our days makes a difference. It might not often seem like it, but each day has us aging and growing. Sure, we might not see as much difference in one day as the rose and the zucchini, but each day does make a difference in our lives. The thing of it is, it’s up to us to decide if the day will make a good difference or a bad difference.

Did we pray for someone today? Did we hold a door for someone or say a kind word to someone? Did we make someone smile or laugh or feel good about themselves? Did we cook dinner for someone or serve at a food pantry? Did we make a donation to a worthy cause or show up to lend a helping hand to someone in need?

Or, did we spend the day wishing for things we can’t have? Did we think negative thoughts and bring others down? Did we put others down by offering harsh criticism and unkind words? Did we lie or cheat someone?

Good or bad, each one of those things on its own makes a difference in each day and therefore each day makes a difference. And, as the days add up, so do the differences. They become noticeable in either a good or bad way.

So, if we’re feeling like a day didn’t matter or if we’re wondering what the point is, let’s remember the Rose and the Zucchini. Let’s remember that a lot can open up, change and grow in a single day. Let’s remember that we have a lot of say in the difference our day makes.

Micah 6:8 says, “He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?”

“What a difference a day makes!”