by Lauri Lemke Thompson<\/strong> (art by Mary Arneson)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The intricate design, yet naturally flowing beauty of a pink rose. Low-lying clouds make the hills’ layers more visible, not less, Such are the layers of God’s love. Give her protection. Give her more layers. All those rose petals defy us getting to the middle. Close up, one cannot see the So we need to zoom the lens The grey-blue, Layers by Lauri Lemke Thompson (art by Mary Arneson) The intricate design, yet naturally flowing beauty of a pink rose. Who thought of such a thing? Petals upon petals, overlapping. Such are these Ozark mountains When one overlooks their rounded shapes \u2013 Hazy blue hill upon blue hill, arranged with grace In layers, Like petals.…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7955,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[949,937,582,529,581],"tags":[1342,903],"class_list":["post-7801","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ozarkfinearts","category-ozarkwriters","category-sotoarchive","category-sotoart","category-sotofeature","tag-lauri-lemke-thompson","tag-ozark-mountain","category-949","category-937","category-582","category-529","category-581","description-off"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7801","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7801"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7801\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7802,"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7801\/revisions\/7802"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7955"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7801"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7801"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7801"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nWho thought of such a thing?
\nPetals upon petals, overlapping.
\nSuch are these Ozark mountains
\nWhen one overlooks their rounded shapes \u2013
\nHazy blue hill upon blue hill, arranged with grace
\nIn layers,
\nLike petals.
\nWho thought of such a thing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nTheir blue edges taking shape.
\nWhat could not be seen in the glare of the sun
\nBecomes apparent in the grey mist:
\nThe layers.
\nLike petals.
\nSee them and bow in awe to Creative God
\nWho breathed the rose and the
\nCelestial hills into reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nOne is not enough–
\nNo, He gives more petals,
\nCreates more richness and beauty
\nFor me to relish in.
\nTo bless me more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Give her strength.
Give her courage.
Give her renewal.
Give her healing.
Give her people she loves.
Give her work she cherishes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nGive her the adventure \u2013
\nThe pure happiness \u2013 of knowing Jesus
\nAnd how it feels to lie her head down
\nOn the softness of His gifts, His petals, His layers.
\nThere she finds rest for her soul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nAll those hills seem to have no end.
\nWho would think of such a thing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nLayers of the mountains.
\nFar away, one cannot see the
\nPetals of the rose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nNow out, now in.
\nEither way,
\nSee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nThe delicate pink,
\nThe layers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"