Ever since I was a child I’ve had this uncanny knack for spotting four-leaf clovers. I can be walking along, look down at a patch of clover, and the one and only four-leaf variety seems to jump up and grab my eyeballs! But lately, as I’ve gotten older, busier, and more cynical, I haven’t seen many of these anomalies of nature.
The past few weeks had been more stressful than usual since the doctor’s call that changed our lives forever: On his 71st birthday, David, my husband, got the news that he had a large growth/tumor on his kidney that would require surgery. The limbo from that call until the surgeon’s call seemed eternal! And the latest call was no less distressing than the first: the growth had indeed invaded the vein between the kidney and the main renal vein, and it may have moved into the main renal vein as well. This was not good news. We had hoped to hear that the tumor was contained, but this was a disturbing development, indeed.
After the stress of the weeks and this news, I needed to get away and pray and weep and vent my frustrations. So I grabbed the dog, and headed out the door under the pretense of Mollie needing “to go.” Striding across the yard, head down, beginning my tirade, there it was … a four-leaf clover!
Without thinking I bent over and picked it … then proceeded to preach to myself that there’s no such thing as a four-leaf clover bringing good luck … you don’t believe in luck … what did you pull it for? And on and on …
But as I looked at those four leaves sparkling with tiny water droplets, an old ditty began to play in my head. If you’re as old as I am, you might remember it:
I’m looking over a four-leaf clover,
That I overlooked before.
One leaf is sunshine, the second is rain;
Third is the roses that grow in the lane.
No need explaining the one remaining,
It’s somebody I adore . . . .
I’m looking over a four-leaf clover,
That I overlooked before!
As that silly song played over and over in my head, I began to get the clover’s message … it had nothing to do with bringing good luck, but plenty to say about how to view my life and circumstances.
“One leaf is sunshine….” No matter what, the Son is shining! Despite the circumstances that we find ourselves in, we can be assured that the Son is always with us – guiding us, giving comfort, bringing peace, covering us in His love, protecting us from the evil one, and keeping us in His presence. (“I am with you always.” Matthew 28:20)
“… the second is rain….” Well, that goes without saying, right? We know that there will be dreary circumstances throughout our lives. It’s just the way life is … but how we react to those circumstances makes all the difference in how they affect us. Looking for the positive in the midst of the rain keeps us focused on HOPE instead of despair. Remembering that “all things work together for good” helps me to recognize the Son’s presence in every situation I face. (Romans 8:28)
“…third, is the roses that grow in the lane….” If not for the rain, the roses wouldn’t be growing in the lane! As difficult as those rainy days may be, I know that the blessings in my life are often a direct result of trusting the Son through those rainy days. Deeper relationships, sharper vision and focus, and more appreciation for each day are all the roses that have grown in my life because of the rain!
“…no need explaining the one remaining, it’s somebody I adore….” Ahhh, there’s nothing like a phone call with bad news to make you stop and consider what’s really important, especially when that news means you may lose “somebody I adore”. Living with a person for over 47 years can make you take that person for granted, forget how much a part of you he is …
As I continued my walk, my frustrations and tears of hopelessness turned to prayers of HOPE for healing for my husband – not just physical healing, but emotional and spiritual healing – for him and for me, too!
“…I’m looking over a four-leaf clover that I overlooked before.” – I’ll never look at a four-leaf clover the same way again! I don’t see them as good-luck charms, but rather as reminders of HOPE! Sonshine through the rainy days of life that bring blessings to me and the one I adore.
I started this post the morning of David’s surgery. It’s been a very busy four weeks since then. He’s recovering from a major surgery that removed his kidney, a huge tumor, and the surrounding tissue and fat and lymph nodes. The good news: although the tumor was cancer, the surrounding “margins” were clean! The doctor has assured us that he “got it all”! So we’re home, recovering from the physical “hit”, dealing with the mental and emotional issues that cancer throws at you, and growing spiritually as we learn to trust the Great Physician to give us the HOPE we need to move forward with our lives.
There’s certainly no luck in a four-leaf clover, but there is definitely a message of HOPE!
Donnie & Marie Osmond You-Tube video “I’m Looking Over a Four-Leaf Clover”: https://youtu.be/24963ZqW4uA
