My father, Walter, was a florist. He owned two flower shops in the town where we lived. My mother managed one of the shops, and Dad ran the other. The shops were never very profitable, but after the expense of my mother's illness, Walter was facing bankruptcy. He had three children, an ill wife, and no prospects for an income. Facing the fear and shame of failure, he could think of nowhere to turn.

     My father had always been a spiritual person. He never attended church with us, but he had his own personal relationship with God. One afternoon, after closing his shop, he went up to his office and fell on his face in prayer. He asked God to come to his aid. Someone had to provide for his family, and he did not seem to be doing a very good job. He knew God had the power to provide a miracle, and a miracle was what he needed.

     The next day, Mr. Hall, the owner of the wholesale floral company where Walter purchased his supplies, came to see him. He told Walter that he knew he was in financial trouble. It was not his policy to extend unlimited credit to his customers, but he did not want Walter to lose his shop. Walter would be able to purchase his supplies without payment, until he was back on his feet. He was making this investment in my father because he had faith in Walter's ability to succeed. 

    God had truly provided a miracle. Mr. Hall did not live in our hometown;  in fact, he had stores in several states. He just happened to be in town to deliver this miracle when my father needed it the most.

      Walter was so thankful for God's answer to prayer that he wanted to do something in return. He asked God to give him insight into a way he could return the favor. Each day, Walter spent time in meditation hoping to get some message from God. Eventually, he began to have ideas about teaching a blind person to arrange flowers. He thought this was an impossible concept. People need to see to be able to design flower arrangements; so, he rejected the idea. 

     Unfortunately, the thoughts would not go away. Each day, they returned, pressing in on Walter's mind. Finally he decided to call the Light House for the Blind. If they agreed that the idea of the blind arranging flowers was absurd, maybe then the thoughts would leave him alone. Even though the man at the other end of the line could not imagine how a blind person could learn to arrange flowers, the thoughts would not go away. 

   Eventually, Walter tried again. This time he contacted a person who felt it was an interesting idea. Pat, an eighteen year old girl, blind from birth, was sent to Walter's shop for training.

     Questions, confusion, and fear filled Walter's mind. How was he going to accomplish this impossible task?  If he were to succeed, he would have to trust God to provide the answers, because he, in himself, had none. Day by day, Walter presented the problems to God, waiting patiently for the solution to come into his mind. One by one, the obstacles were over come, and Pat became a top floral designer. To the amazement of many florists, Pat displayed her talents at a national floral convention.

     Not all of Pat's problems related to designing floral arrangements. Pat wanted a bank account in which to deposit her earnings. The bank refused to open an account for her because she was not able to sign her name. When they returned to the shop, Pat was disappointed and frustrated. She wanted to be an independent person, but her disability was blocking her way. In his usual way, Walter assured her that the next day he would teach her to sign her name. 

     As Pat left for the evening, Walter began to pray. He had no idea how he would fulfill his promise to Pat. He often referred to Pat as "Your little girl" when he spoke to God about her. He felt that God had placed her in his care, but she was God's child. He prayed for guidance. He did not want to disappoint this young woman. 

     The next day, under the guidance of God, Walter taught her to sign her name. He took floral wire and shaped out her name in a signature form. Pat traced this wire with a pen until she had it memorized. Walter kept making the signature smaller and smaller until it fit on the back of a check. Together, they returned to the bank to open a checking account for Pat.

     Learning to design floral arrangements and sign her name seemed like miracles to those who heard Pat's story. However, the greatest miracle was yet to come. Eventually, Pat began to see light. She was able to see the movement of trees as she rode past them in the car. Prior to her death from pneumonia, Pat was able to distinguish between the white and light pink ribbon she used in floral bows. Her sight was never totally restored, but her life was greatly improved by the Power of God. Pat's story has inspired many to overcome the obstacles in their life through the power of prayer.

     We began this story with Walter's financial crisis. As with all crisis, opportunity for transformation reaches beyond those immediately involved. The threat of bankruptcy had opened Walter to a deeper communication with the God within him. He learned to trust God to provide a solution when, in prayer, he placed his cares at God's feet. This experience taught him to listen to the inspiration he received no matter how impossible it seemed. 

     Through this difficult time, Walter had found a higher purpose in his life. The opportunity to share his gifts with Pat not only blessed her life but the lives of all who have heard their story.

Reverend Marty Varnadoe Dow, MSW

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