"Oh, Who Can Make a Flower?"

Growing up in Virginia and Colorado, we were surrounded by the greenery of forests, meadows, and valleys. But being young, I didn’t pay much attention to details. Trees were trees. Flowers were flowers. Plants were plants.

Like most kids, I was fascinated with other things: watching a bug crawl across the sidewalk, trying to catch a butterfly, or collecting “lightning” bugs in a jar on warm summer nights.  
 
My father planted a lot of vegetation in our yard; however, the only specific plants I remembered were the “Fitzers” (Juniper) that lined the front of our house and the wild Mint that grew next to our back door. I'd pick the Mint for my mother to use in iced tea. There was a Crabapple tree in the front yard of my best friend's house. Her mother made crabapple jelly. (If over-ripe fruit fell to the ground, we'd pelt them at each other). A massive Willow tree in a neighboring yard served as our climbing tree. 

In Sunday School, we learned a song called “Oh, Who Can Make a Flower?” It was an early introduction to thinking about the reality of the natural world.

It was my aunt's favorite song. We'd sing along with her when she took my cousin, my brother and me in her VW bug. I think of her when I hear that song. She had a rough, troublesome life that caused a lot of heartache, but she held on to her faith.        
 
Perhaps you are familiar with the song? Here are the lyrics to the first verse:      
“Oh, who can make a flower? I’m sure I can’t, can you? Oh, who can make a flower? No one but God, ‘tis true.” The “Oh, who can make..."  theme continues with verses about a rainbow, raindrops, sunshine, and a butterfly.

It took me a long time to pay attention to the intricate details of the world of nature, but once I actually "saw" what was there, I was astounded by the beauty and complexity of God’s creation. I am intrigued by those who have the skill to farm or garden, and I watch with interest as my husband tends to plants (he is a Master Gardener). 

I am in awe of the botanical world and the thousands of varieties of plants, shrubs, trees, and flowers in existence. Equally inspiring is the way plants respond to being cared for, the way they communicate, and the benefits they provide for us.  
 
Today's technological advances are exponentially far-reaching, yet there is still much that science cannot explain. The song about the flower expresses the seemingly inexplicable question, "Who can make a flower?”

And then, comes the answer that can only be attributed to the Creator: "I'm sure I can't, can you?  Oh, who can make a flower? No one but  God, 'tis true."   
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​Song: "Oh, Who Can Make a Flower?" Public Domain. Grace  W. Owens, Clara Lee Parker, 1926.  
Photo: N. Johnson

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