They neither toil nor spin

Between a perfect shot of a single spider lily and this one with some wilting blooms, I chose this.

For once, I had the delight of watching the entire cluster of eight buds taking turns to bloom. The amazing thing is each bloom lasted for a day and wilted by the next evening. So the entire cluster took eight days to open, one a day. It is intriguing how quickly each apparently small bud shoots up overnight before it pops like fireworks.

I'm reminded of the lilies mentioned in Matthew 6:27-34 in the Bible.

"Who among you can add to his stature by worrying? So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin (their own wool to make clothes), and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, o you of little faith?"

Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Dubbed "golden needle" by the Chinese, the dried flowers are tied into knots and often cooked with cabbage or chap chye (mixed vegetables); and are also used in soups and stews.

And it just hit me that the golden pollen with its stamen resembles the Hebrew alphabet "dalet" which means a door. The spider lily is as fearfully and wonderfully made as us humans -- even the recent torrential rain didn't dislodge the delicate golden pollen or tear the fragile white membrane of this unique flower, scientifically named Hymenocallis. O Lord my God, Lily of the Valley, the Everlasting Door, how great Thou art.

#liliesofthefield