Sandra Heska King

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What Do You Smell Like?

February 18, 2011 By Sandra Heska King

I fill my basket.

Bananas.

Apples.

Blueberries.

Crusty breads on sale–country wheat baguette, pan bigio, calabrese rounds.

Kalamata olives.

Diapers, wipes, vinyl bibs.

A fleece jacket for Gracee–on sale for three dollars.

And I remember what Cassandra said in response to my pity party on Wednesday.

Bring in beauty right where you are. Right now. In the middle of the messiness. Just bring it in. Don’t wait for a moment when there is time.

When you go to the grocery store, buy some inexpensive cheery flowers. At home, put them in a vase where you wash the dishes or sit often. Make a little cleared space around the vase. Tomorrow, write about the flowers, and why you like them. What do they make you think of?

Every morning, spend a few minutes just gazing at the flowers. Let their beauty charge your creative soul.

And so I weave my way back to the flower area. (I breezed right past it when I came in.) I wrinkle my nose at the sad bouquets on display. But then the heady fragrance of hyacinth beckons, tucked between towering yellow daffodils and jonquils and pots of tulips.

I bring a pot home and set it on the end table next to the sofa.

I pour a cup of flowering tea (thanks, Sissy.)

And. I. Sit.

I gaze out the window.

The sky is clear. The sun is bright.

The wind whips and whistles around the house.

Branches brush the siding.

Dried brown leaves play tag.

Three purple finches, a titmouse, and a chickadee cling to the feeder, crazy swaying.

I hold the pot of flowers in my lap and study them.

I consider the spikes of sunshine-studded snow-white stars. I read somewhere that hyacinths are associated with rebirth.

Tall green arms embrace infant blooms, tight, soon to be born.

I hold the flowers close and inhale and get a bit dizzy.

High on hyacinth.

I stroke blossoms, cool, rubbery. Sturdy yet fragile.

And my hands carry the fragrance.

Hebrew kings were “crowned” with very expensive perfumed oil.

Everything and everyone with that unique fragrance was recognized as belonging to God in a special way.

In the ancient Middle East, the majesty of a king was expressed not only by what he wore–his jewelry and robes–but by his royal “aroma.” Even after a king was first anointed, he would perfume his robes with precious oils for special occasions . . .

During royal processions, the fragrance of expensive oils would inform the crowds that a king was passing by. . . (Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus~p. 16-18)

The scent of the perfume with which Mary anointed Jesus must have clung to him for days. Everywhere he went he “had the fragrance of royalty. Jesus smelled like a king.”

When He entered Jerusalem, in the garden, during his trial, during His stripping and whipping, and when He was nailed to the cross, His fragrance must have permeated the air. Perhaps it even clung to His enemies.

I sniff my hands again, savoring the scent.

I want to carry His fragrance.

High on Him.

Praying you catch His scent this weekend. And that it clings to you as well.

In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life. But those on the way to destruction treat us more like the stench from a rotting corpse. ~2 Corinthians 2:14-16

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Filed Under: stories and reflections

Comments

  1. Cassandra Frear says

    February 18, 2011 at 8:42 pm

    This is like a wonderful present to me. I was right there with you, smelling and feeling and basking in it all.

    Isn’t beauty wonderful?

    Ahh, and your clearest writing voice is back, full and strong.

    Smiling.. . Yes, I am smiling right here at my laptop.

    • Sandra says

      February 18, 2011 at 10:17 pm

      You make me smile, too. Thanks for helping to raise me from my funk–and for being my friend. No, sister. 🙂

  2. nance marie says

    February 18, 2011 at 8:56 pm

    the sweet scent
    nice

    • Sandra says

      February 18, 2011 at 10:20 pm

      🙂

  3. Candace Calvert says

    February 18, 2011 at 8:59 pm

    Beautiful, soul-stirringly sensuous–a perfect reminder, perfectly written. Thank you.

    • Sandra says

      February 18, 2011 at 10:22 pm

      Hi, my friend. Thank *you.*

  4. S. Etole says

    February 18, 2011 at 9:34 pm

    you share the fragrance in a most becoming way …

    • Sandra says

      February 18, 2011 at 10:22 pm

      I was going to say the same for you, Susan.

  5. Jennifer@GDWJ says

    February 18, 2011 at 11:43 pm

    To be still and know …

    I have that verse on a plaque in my living room as an ever-present reminder to remember Whose fragrance I want to carry.

    Pretty pictures, too, Sandra!

    • Sandra says

      February 19, 2011 at 7:03 am

      You carry that fragrance well, my cross-eyed friend.

  6. Lori says

    February 19, 2011 at 9:34 am

    Thank you Sandra, for this portrait of beauty today. I love to talk and dream of the subject of smell since I have never had any sense of smell, but I almost felt as if I did when I read this….Lori

    • Sandra says

      February 20, 2011 at 10:30 pm

      Oh, Lori. What a blessing you’ve given me. Hugs.

  7. Susan J. Reinhardt says

    February 19, 2011 at 7:59 pm

    I LOVE the scent of hyacinths! Lilacs aren’t far behind. In fact, I bought hand cream with a lilac fragrance.

    • Sandra says

      February 20, 2011 at 10:31 pm

      I’m with you on the lilacs. I think they top hyacinths.

  8. Melinda Lancaster says

    February 21, 2011 at 2:07 pm

    For some reason I can’t view the pictures BUT I love this post!
    I want to carry His fragrance everywhere I go.

    • Sandra says

      February 21, 2011 at 2:18 pm

      Well, that’s just strange. They all seem to be broken. Working on it.

  9. Cheryl Smith says

    February 21, 2011 at 4:20 pm

    Two things come to mind, the girls’ bathroom and Valentine’s flowers.

    Peter gave me beautiful cut flowers for Valentine’s Day. Gorgeous snap dragons and lilies and green poms/mums, carnations, etc. At first they smelled great. Then they started stinking. I changed the water, recut them and moved them from the Dining Room to my dresser in the bedroom. The next morning I commented about how much they still stunk. Peter was relieved. He feared it was my breath. True story! 🙂

    On a more edifying note, the main bathroom is decorated with pink fru fru. The shower curtain has images of perfume bottles, high heeled shoes and dusting powder boxes, complete with actual feathers. Once we paint the bathroom, I want to stencil, “We are the fragrance of Christ” around the mirror.

    • Sandra says

      February 22, 2011 at 12:41 am

      That is TOO funny! I hate that “been in the water too long” smell.

      And your bathroom sounds awesome. I may have to steal that idea. 😉

  10. Lynn Mosher says

    February 21, 2011 at 9:20 pm

    Loved this, sweetie! This must a theme. I just now posted (or rather re-posted from last year) the same topic for a blog carnival. I love it when the Lord reinforces a precious thought like this. I always love reading your precious thoughts! 😀

    • Sandra says

      February 22, 2011 at 12:42 am

      I think I remember this one. Heading over to check it out. 🙂

  11. David Rupert says

    February 22, 2011 at 11:44 am

    A stunning post. Honestly these days, I don’t smell so well and your post was a great encouragement to me — and those around me

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“Truly, we live with mysteries too marvelous to “Truly, we live with mysteries too marvelous to be understood. . . Let me keep company always with those who say “Look!” and laugh in astonishment and bow their heads.” ~ Mary Oliver in “Mysteries, Yes”
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My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the str My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion.” Psalm 73:26 (ESV)
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He laughs. "I created a monster." Ummm, yeah.

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"Well, yeah. We walk a couple miles a day. I'm back on my Nordictrack Strider." I didn't tell him I'd been lifting some light weights and some very heavy boxes and other items during this renovation, though I was told in December not to.

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Wait! So you ask if I have symptoms. But you don't expect symptoms--yet. And when I do have symptoms, someone is gonna do something. And then I'll be older and maybe weaker. Or what if I have some sudden and silent symptom and boom! And now I have to worry about that. 

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My great-nephew, not quite 12, had just gotten home from school when the EF-3 came down the street and left its mark on every home. My niece frantically tried to find her way from work through debris and blocked roads. My sister was 30 miles away visiting my dad in rehab. I don't want to know how fast my brother-in-law drove. 

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We plan to fly up Thursday--already planned to celebrate my dad's 95th birthday. 

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From a post I wrote for @tspoetry after a visit to the @holocaustcenter.

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