Lessons from Dead Flowers and a Squeaky Door

The PR person from a local bank contacted me, wanting to buy fifteen cases of single-serve potato chips for a community barbeque. “Yes, I can fill the order,” I said, as a proud route sales rep with Frito Lay, Inc.

The next day the manager of the bank called, saying she found the product at a wholesale club for less money. Could I match the price? 

Unfortunately, my answer was no. Yet I basically begged her to not cancel the order—for five minutes! I explained that there were benefits I could bring that were not monetary—like delivery to the bank–but she was only interested in price. It was a fruitless discussion.

Rainer Bantau, over at The Devotional Guy, brought the above story to mind with his recent post, Dead Flowers Don’t Need Water. Here’s my takeaway: sometimes we invest precious time and emotional energy investing in situations that offer little or no hope of return. We water a vase of dead roses, hoping they’ll turn red again.

“Dead flowers don’t need water.” Rainer Bantau

This past Thursday, I accompanied my wife to a doctor’s appointment. While I sat in the waiting room, reading a great book on leadership, my focus was occasionally interrupted by a grating noise.

“Squeeeeak!”

It was the bathroom door. It got so bad I stopped reading and ordered a bottle of door lock and hinge lubricant on Amazon. Nancy goes back for a follow up in a month, and Daring David (me) will take care of that door!

“Squeaky door hinges need oil” David Duncan

Kind reader, can you relate? Like me, have you ever watered dead flowers? Thankfully, I’ve also oiled some squeaky hinges. And I will do it again!

Isn’t it wonderful that God is a squeaky hinge fixer, and not a dead rose waterer?

His Return on Investment:

Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers righteousness on you.

Hosea 10:12 (NIV)

Is Guaranteed!

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through Him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.  

2 Corinthians 1:20 (NIV)

Thank you for reading. 🙏❤️ prayers and love.


The Stigma Stops Here.🛑

#mentalhealthmatters



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Comments

26 responses to “Lessons from Dead Flowers and a Squeaky Door”

  1. davidsdailydose Avatar

    Amen! Thank you. 🙏 Lord, help us know the dead flowers from the squeaky doors.

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Pure Glory Avatar

    David, love your discussion on squeaky doors that can be solved with oil. The dead flowers cannot be revived with water. It is so important to follow the leading of Holy Spirit and not spend our time on the past. Blessings!

    Liked by 1 person

  3. davidsdailydose Avatar

    Thank you, Priscilla. Rainer got me to thinking, and the squeaky door did the rest!

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Priscilla Bettis Avatar

    Clever post. I have watered dead flowers before…

    Liked by 1 person

  5. davidsdailydose Avatar

    I choose “solve someone else’s problem—so long as they want help solving it. A squeaky hinge, to my musician’s ears, is everybody’s problem.
    Thanks for sharing, Barb. God Bless!

    Like

  6. My Life in Our Father's World Avatar

    Oops…..

    The little things can make us crazy or solve someone else’s problem. Which one do you choose?

    Liked by 1 person

  7. davidsdailydose Avatar

    Amen, my brother! There is no place in the universe where God’s love and care can’t reach us. May God bless you as well! 🙏🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇺🇸

    Liked by 1 person

  8. davidsdailydose Avatar

    Thank you, Sister Super-C!

    Liked by 1 person

  9. God Still Speaks Avatar

    I 100% agree with Rainer’s assessment David!

    Liked by 2 people

  10. Alan Kearns Avatar

    Praise God, He has us in His hands, regardless of our circumstances. God bless you today brother 🙏 🇺🇸🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

    Liked by 1 person

  11. jesusluvsall Avatar

    Definitely cheaper lol

    Liked by 1 person

  12. God Still Speaks Avatar

    Discernment is HUGE!

    Liked by 2 people

  13. davidsdailydose Avatar

    I’m glad God showed you how to step away from clients who were no longer a good fit for you.
    You’ve visited a good point I didn’t completely make: we have no power to bring back dead flowers, but squeaky hinges are fixable. 🙏Lord Jesus, help us to know the difference.

    Liked by 2 people

  14. God Still Speaks Avatar

    It worked for the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz!

    Liked by 2 people

  15. God Still Speaks Avatar

    Love this! I recently “divorced” three clients who were draining me dry and not at all appreciative of the services I was providing. One actually sent me a two page email with lots of bad words inserted. Once I let them go, the sense of peace and freedom washed over me was overwhelming. I asked God at the beginning of Jan to clear out whatever might be holding me back, and then this happened. I was so grateful! I will remember the watering the dead flowers analogy in the future, and quit wasting my time trying to bring life to something I have no power to bring life to.

    Liked by 2 people

  16. davidsdailydose Avatar

    Maybe. We can try, brother. I’m sure it’s cheaper than a doctor. 🤗

    Liked by 1 person

  17. davidsdailydose Avatar

    Thanks, brother! I knew as soon as I read your post it was one I needed to respond to.

    Liked by 1 person

  18. davidsdailydose Avatar

    Thank you, Peggy. My hinge oil comes in Monday. I can’t wait to start stopping those pesky squeaks!

    Liked by 1 person

  19. jesusluvsall Avatar

    Wonder if that oil would work on my squeaky joints lol

    Like

  20. peggywritesblog Avatar

    Love the analogy, David! I have watered a few dying flowers, hoping they would revive, but no – dead. I have oiled many a squeaky door. 🤣

    Liked by 1 person

  21. The Devotional Guy™ Avatar

    I love this post so much. In huge part because of the collaborative nature underpinning it, but also because you are such a clever writer and observer of human life. Thanks for the shout out. As always, be blessed.

    Liked by 2 people

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