The inspiration behind this week's theme was a short piece written by Lisa. She wrote this for her church's Christmas booklet in 2020, when the onslaught of covid had thrown all of us into disarray that year. As the situation in Singapore worsened and we were forced into the shadows of a possible CB, I wanted to bring the message of Hope to those who received my bouquets. When all we seem to have
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Inspired by a poem of Hermann Hesse, flowers this week have a cooler colour scheme to express the coldness of departures. I added a touch of warmth to also show that a sprinkle of hope and light can still be found. As every flower fades and as all youth This week's theme was inspired by a poem of Mary Oliver. I thought it to be such beautiful imagery that I made arrangements with just roses so that one may simply look, savour, and reflect without being distracted by the use of other varieties of flowers. When the roses speak, I pay attention This week's theme was inspired by a quote from Jonathan Edwards. In light of my recent loss, I wasn't sure what was an appropriate theme for this week since I had yet to move away from this state of rumination and grief. This quote seemed rather perfect to me. "The enjoyment of God is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied. To go to heaven, fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here. Fathers and mothers, husbands, wives, or children, or the company of earthly friends, are but shadows, but God is the substance. These are but scattered beams, but God is the sun. These are but streams, but God is the ocean." This week's theme was inspired by Dawn Ng's Into Air exhibition. I was contemplating deeply about the ephemerality of life after attending it and really wanted to make floral arrangements to express a similar line of thought. Little did I know how close this theme would strike my heart, as just two days later, a close friend departed the world, which then resulted in arrangements made in remembrance of her. All things move towards an eventual and inevitable death. Our lives on earth are but specks in the stream of time, and seasons pass one after another, with no repetition of any. There are many things you cannot undo or redo, and they dissipate with the flow of time, yet there is a certain beauty that unravels as we look at a life moving through the seasons. What struck me about Ng's works was the lining of hope and appreciation for life sewn into her expression of its ephemerality. I think sometimes we are so gripped by the eventual loss that it's easy to lose sight of the beauty of different stages in life. I've been quite taken with tanka poetry lately, and so the theme this week was inspired by a tanka from Amy Lowell. Roses and larkspur the rock pool This week's theme was inspired by Jonathan Ogden's 'Always on My Mind'. I've loved his music for a long time now, and I especially loved this newer release because of how he spoke of a relationship with God with such lighthearted candour and wonder. ALWAYS ON MY MIND I stopped listening to Hillsong's 'Seasons' last year because the lyrics that used to encourage me became stings to my weary heart. I had grown tired of waiting for a deliverance from my circumstance that hope had eventually died in me. On the first day of this year, I sat before God and laid it all down. I prayed for hope to arise within me again, and for a joyful surrender over helpless resignation. So I choose this song for the first theme of the year, in hopes that it will encourage you in your season of waiting, if indeed you are waiting at all. SEASONS ANCHOR |