Easter Lilly
Down in a Tennessee valley there lived a 88 year old woman named Sara and known to
others nearby as “Easter Lilly.” She got that tittle over 50 years ago when she started
raising Easter Lilies and giving them out in church on Easter Sundays. The Children all
received their flower first, then the women. Men had to get permission from their wife or
girlfriend if they had one, before they were given a flower. Lilly said she was too old to
have what little hair she had left, pulled out by a jealous woman over a man.
She was pleased that every year she had to bring more flowers because each year there
was always more children in church than there was the previous year. She didn’t have any
money to speak of, but God gave her a green thumb. She said; As long as the Lord keeps
my heart a beating- I’m going to use it to serve the Lord! Everyone said she must be the
sweetest little old lady that ever lived.
A few days before Easter one year, a 9 year old girl named Brook came to see Lilly. She
was very sad because some boys at school told her she was ugly. Brook asked Lilly; Why
didn’t God make me pretty like my sister? Lilly said; I remember when your sister was
your age and you look just like she did then. Boys can’t see very well until they get their
new eyes, this happens at about age 14. Then those boys will like how you look so much,
they all will want a picture of you to wear around their neck in a locket
Brook still wasn’t convinced, so Lilly said; Right now while your little, your grown up
face is squeezed into a small package like a seed. When you grow your face stretches and
it will grow like a flower and become a beautiful face. Someday a man looking for a
beautiful flower will find you. Why, I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if you grew up to be the
prettiest flower in the whole field. So don’t listen to what people with poor vision say
about you any more.
Lilly understood the love of God and passed it on to Brook and many others with her
Easter flowers and words of wisdom over the years. Lilly didn’t live to see Brook bloom
into the beautiful flower she has now become. One of Lilly’s favorite sayings was; “If you
don’t have something like a few kind words, some love or nice flowers to give- keep it! ”
Written by the father of “Easter Brook.”
