Be a Tulip in a Bed of Daffodils
By Christy Lowman
Burke County
The word tulip comes from the Persian word “del band” which means turban. They are a perfect symmetrical flower made up of three petals and three sepals.
Tulips are the world’s most famous bulb that flowers. They were in such high demand in the 1600s that there was a “Tulip Mania.” Meaning that one bulb might have had the same value as waterfront property in Amsterdam. Some were worth more than homes in the Netherlands, or more than ten times the average working man’s salary.
Today, the Netherlands is the largest tulip bulb producer even though the flowers are native to central Asia. The Netherlands sells around three billion tulip bulbs a year!
There are three thousand different varieties. The most popular variety is the “Strong Gold,” a yellow tulip. Tulips come in every color except for a true black and blue. Each color signifies its own meaning. Red means “true love,” white- “I’m sorry,” purple- “royalty,” etc. If a person receives a bouquet of different colors of tulips, it’s supposed to compliment the receivers’ eyes.
A special red tulip with white fringe was named after James Parkinson, the doctor that the Parkinson’s disease was named after. The tulip has also been used as the Parkinson’s disease symbol since 1980.
When tulips erupt through the soil and bloom in March, winter has left and spring has begun. They bloom only three to seven days, from March to May depending on the variety. Tulips belong to the Liliaceae family along with lilies, garlic, onions, and asparagus. The petals are edible and can be used as an onion substitute. They have many flavors including beans, peas, cucumbers, sweet lettuce, or some have a peppery taste. During WWII, tulips and tulip bread were eaten often by the poor in Holland. The bulbs were eaten then too, but they had to be prepared just right because the skin and middle of the bulb are poisonous. The bulbs eaten during the war were known to have a very dry and bitter taste. A fresh tulip bulb is supposed to have a sweet milky flavor. The leaves, stems, and some parts of the bulb and flower are toxic. Tulips are also toxic to dogs and cats if ingested.
Did you know tulips will bend and lean to get to where they can feel the sun, even in a vase? They will also keep growing up to an inch once the stems are cut and put in a glass. Cool huh?
You might be wondering what I mean by my title: “Be a Tulip in a Bed of Daffodils.” I took this photo this spring when I had the most beautiful single pink tulip come up in the middle of a huge bed of daffodils. My title has two biblical meanings that in turn go together. The first one is: Be yourself. Be who God made you to be! Don’t try to be like all the popular kids to fit in. It’s okay to be different and to stand out because God made you that way! There is a reason, I promise! Ask Him to show you what He has prepared for your life and how you can serve Him with your uniqueness!
The second meaning is Don’t follow the crowd, instead, stand up for what is right. Doing this might cost you friends, family, or more. You may have to do this at church, school, or even on the basketball team. All through history, it’s not been popular to be a Christian. It’s much easier to follow the crowd, “non-Christians,” but we must set ourselves apart and stand up for what we believe, in Christ Jesus. We must stand up for our Christian values, and Biblical teachings, and for the “Golden Rule.” Do you know what the Golden Rule is? If not look it up or ask a parent. A perfect example of doing this in the Bible is in the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They were going to be thrown in the hot furnace alive because they were standing up for God. They were the only ones in the entire crowd that stood up for Him. The three of them refused to bow to anyone except the one true God, including the king. God honored their bravery and sent an angel to be with them in the blazing furnace. God also spared their lives.
At some point, each one of us will be tested. Will you stand out in a bed of daffodils?
Dear Lord, please be with us as we stand up for you and your teachings. Help us be brave and do the correct thing even though it might cost us our friends, family, or even our life. Help us realize we are not meant to fit in, in a group of nonbelievers. But instead, as Christians, we are supposed to be different. In Jesus’s name Amen.
“You shall not follow a crowd to do evil.” Exodus 23:2A NKJV
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2 NKJV
Bibliography
https://www.countryliving.com/gardening/a35956/tulip-fun-facts/
https://www.teleflora.com/blog/10-weird-facts-about-tulips/
http://www.alloveralbany.com/archive/2008/05/09/tulips-really-are-edible-sort-of
https://www.fluwel.com/eating-tulip-bulbs
https://firstvet.com/us/articles/poisonous-plants-for-dogs-and-cats-tulips
https://www.eattheweeds.com/tulips-famine-food-appetizer-assistant-2/
https://gardentabs.com/are-tulips-edible/
https://parkinsonsnewstoday.com/
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Christy Lowman is a Christian author and illustrator that lives in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains with her husband and two children. She enjoys writing and illustrating books for all ages. Some of her short stories are published with Guideposts and HCI. Christy gives all the glory to God in everything she does. A portion of every book sold from the Small Bible Character Series will be donated to battle human trafficking. If you enjoy her books, “like’ her author page on Facebook and let her know! You can buy her books at //www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3AChristy+Lowman&s=relevancerank&text=Christy+Lowman&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1. You can reach her at //www.facebook.com/authorChristyLowman/
or christyssoaps@yahoo.com
You can read more Christian news from Christy here.
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