Today I picked up stones and roots while my friend ran the rototiller to prepare for her garden.  Later, I noticed that I had an aroma about me.  It’s not what you think!  But, I bet you know exactly the aroma I’m referring to if you’ve ever pushed a power lawn mower around your yard.

 

May Apple :: The Fragrance of God :: AnExtraordinarDay.net

 

Have you ever thought about your aroma?

Did you just tilt your nose down and take a whiff of your shirt?  I’m not talking about your perfume, toilet water, or cologne.  I’m not talking about whether you used deodorant after your shower, though that is probably a good idea. [wink]

There’s another kind of scent that I have in mind.

We have a spiritual fragrance.  It’s the essence of who we are.

You might know someone who has a wonderful essence.  So lovely that you wish that you could wear that same fragrance.

You also might know someone who has a less than wonderful essence.  You probably find yourself avoiding that one.

Recently my husband began working in an office with about thirty people in close proximity.  As he recounts his day he sometimes shares things he has observed about a few of his co-workers and his brief interactions with them.  He might mention something about someone’s appearance, their vocabulary, their behavior, or even their character.  Whether they realize it or not, these co-workers are all giving off an aroma.  Some sweet.  Others a pungent odor.   As I listen, I think that some may be fragrance-free.

 

Have you ever thought about your aroma?

Have you ever thought about your choices and how they might impact your scent?

 

Close-up of a May Apple :: Fragrance of Christ :: AnExtraordinaryDay.net

 

If I get to choose my scent, and I do, I want to choose to be the fragrance of Christ.  I want to be a joy splashing, life-giving, encouraging scent.

His sweet fragrance doesn’t permeate us on those days when we hop out of bed and jump into life without taking time to be quiet, read God’s word, and pray.  When we are all about our own business or ourselves, we diminish HIS scent.

Here’s something we can also do to give off a pleasing aroma…

Finally, brothers and sisters,  fill your minds with beauty and truth.
Meditate on whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is good, whatever is virtuous and praiseworthy.

Philippians 4:8 (The Voice)

 

Remember the people I suggested might be fragrance free?  Some people give hints by things they do or say that suggest they may have chosen to follow Christ at one time, but aren’t allowing Him to influence their lives today.  They no longer have that exquisite fragrance of a follower.   Their fragrance has been diminished.  They aren’t able to give hope or much of anything else.  They’re fragrance free.

Have you ever looked at a gorgeous rose, stooped down to breathe in its aroma, and pulled away disappointed by its lack of fragrance?  Roses are supposed to give off a heady aroma, as are lilacs or lily of the valley, which are blooming right now.  We look forward to their scents each spring. They refresh us with their beauty and their aroma.

What if we started our days by splashing on eau de love, or joy, or peace, or patience, or kindness, or goodness, or faithfulness, or gentleness, or self-control?  (The Fruit of the Spirit – Galatians 5:22-23)  Would people look forward to having us pass by their office, their desk, their check-out lane? 

 

The Fruit of the Spirit :: Fragrance of Christ :: AnExtraordinaryDay.net

 

Do you smell like the two-stroke engine of the rototiller or apple blossoms?  Neither scent may be apparent as you walk past.  But, if you stop to chat with me, you will probably get a whiff.

What scent are you wearing?

Our fragrance…who knew it was a daily choice.  Sometimes even a minute by minute decision.

What do you need to do each day to wear a delightful aroma?

 

Joy Day! :: The Fragrance of Christ :: AnExtraordinaryDay.net


Today is Joy Day!

 

Want to smell sweet and have others notice your lovely fragrance?  Want joy?
Giving thanks is one of best ways I know to put on a sweet scent and get joy.

Join me in looking back over the past week and counting ‘seven’ –
both the good and the not-so-good.  

I’ll start…

Thank you God for…

  1. the hope I have in You.
  2. a friend who went the extra mile to bless me.
  3. mosquitoes.  Okay…that was hard to write.
  4. those who offer grace.
  5. those who do not offer grace.  Also hard to write.
  6. warm sunshine and refreshing breezes.
  7. my husband and the joy of doing things together.


Now it’s YOUR turn!!

Join me in counting ‘seven.’
Scroll down to the comment section…Share Your Extraordinary Thoughts….and list your ‘seven.’
I dare you!

Want even more joy?  Take the Joy Dare here.


Thank you for stopping by today.
I appreciate you and your sweet comments make my day.

 

Joyfully!

Diane

P.S.  Wondering about the flower in the photos?  They are May Apples.  I almost have to lie on the ground to get their pictures.  Such sweet blossoms hidden from the larger world to see.

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Comments

  1. This was GREAT! Thank you and have a lovely week ~ FlowerLady

    • Diane says

      Thank you sweet friend!!
      May your week be blessed and overflow with JOY!

  2. Glenda Kremer says

    believe me you definitely have the fragrance of Christ that blesses all who know you by web and esp those who can hug you which I” hope to do one day!!! hope my friend Judy gets email of this I forwarded to hrer! have a blessed SONDAY!!!!
    hugs!
    glenda

    • Diane says

      You are such a blessing to ME, Glenda! 🙂 Your words are like the warmest hug. It would be great to meet you in person with a ‘real’ hug, too!

      May your week overflow with JOY!!

  3. Betty Brown says

    I am thankful for the new friend I met today and I want the fragrance she has on.:) God answering prayer even when we are still asking,two good yard sale days,seeing God working in my daughter as she reaches out to Him,having a week of no hospital visits with my hubby,even tho I keep going to God about things I struggle with I know He’s there .Lastly I am so thankful for hope CAUSE that is what causes me to hang on when I feel such a mess and that I fail so miserably.jj

  4. Gwen says

    It is Joy Day!! Yes, I’ve been aware of my aroma. As a Mom when I got upset with my girls I’d know my aroma was not pleasant. But it’s been forgiven and so I will dwell on this day. I enjoy your Joy Day and am so very happy to be back on getting posts. Yes, in the times of overwhelming trials you have sent out not daggers but joy, posts on hope, going back on posts that we have missed in the past of your DIY projects and we get to enjoy them in the now! You’ve brought us blessing not cursing of our Lord. And laughter. I’m sorry to laugh about the mascara but I do that too. I think though it grows bacteria so I threw mine out after a couple years and go without 😉
    1. Curt got me to go out of the house and it was nice
    2. My gardener I must have for I cannot do what I love and long to do knocked on my door worried for they had not seen me in two weeks and were worried. And I was not to give tips or more money. His heart hurts if I’m sick.
    3. Had to have my wedding band resized. I cried. Afraid it would be soooo much. It wasn’t! And the jeweler immediately in talking briefly said he would be praying for me.
    4. My hubby’s cancer doctor saw an unusual mass that concerned him and sent to his GI doctor. In one day my hubby was meeting with the GI dr to discuss it, and was given the meds to be taking a bit over 24 hours later and the test the next day. Miracle. Miracle!! Praises to God!!! No cancer!! No mass!! A couple small polyps but no cancer!!!!! Hallelujah !!!
    5. Another real need prayer request need was answered for an elderly man on Friday!!!
    6. After many hard days and lonely days, today I feel I’m resting.
    7. Upcoming on Thursday will be one of my most difficult of days. I’m praying and reading verses yet I’m scared. Its scary.
    8. Something I sent in the mail got there in time!!! I prayed and prayed. I get sooo mixed up on days and dates… Thank you Lord
    9. AC available at all times at the regular rate because of my medical condition.
    10. Friends have failed me…foes assail me…but I have Jesus

  5. Debbi Saunders says

    I am so grateful and Thankful to God:
    1.for answered prayer even when I was having a faith failure!!
    2. That after two weeks the Lord provided a mechanic to work on my car that ran hot, shut off and had to be towed! and at first, thought to be unrepairable!!! My neighbor, God Bless HIm!
    3. that is didn’t cost me a lot of money and I had enough for the parts!
    4.that it was only the thermostat and not the manifold which has been discontinued for my 200l SUV.
    5.That his daughter has let me use her little SUV to get to work…I was so paniced about being able to get to work 12 miles away.
    6.for employment over the summer…
    7. for my son’s little miracle! 2 weeks ago he took his midterm exam; he had been sick in the bed with flu and had missed class Monday night to help me with my car. He only received a 62…he was so disappointed! He has no classes on Fridays so it was when he went in on Monday the Professor told them that the night of the exam there had been a Thunderstorm, the power went out and all their grades were lost! He let them retake the exam and he made 100!! maintaining is A average! He acknowledged how it was God who had gone before and made it possible!

  6. Kim says

    Diane, this is obviously something you consider regularly, because you have the sweetest fragrance! The sweetness of Christ seeps out of you! Your photographs are beautiful, too. Thank you for sharing the beauty you see around you and God’s word that is on your heart. You bring your readers such joy!
    Thank you, God, for:
    1. Your grace in the care of us right now.
    2. The ways You have spoken to me to build my faith.
    3. The friends You have provided for our tender hearts.
    4. Your gift of a man who seeks You and follows You to lead our home.
    5. Time for hubby and I to get away together briefly – to refresh.
    6. New perspectives You give me each day. You will resolve our situation. Thank You, Father. I’ll just get out of Your way now.
    7. Sweet glimpses of a beautiful future for our family member in trouble.

    Thank you again, Diane, for another beautiful post. I continue to pray for you and your husband. I consider it all JOY. 🙂

  7. Suzi says

    Wow. I have missed you and your readers’ comments! Nice to see you in my inbox today. I have allergies and usually can’t smell much and I really miss the smell of roses. I worry about how i smell or how house smells, ha! So last time we picked up our 7 yr old granddaughter she got in the car and said excitedly, “oh! I smells like Nana in here!” She told her mom i smell like coffee and Wurthers caramels. 😉 so that’s #1. 2. Insurance approved our son’s insulin and diabetes supplies after months and months of problems. 3. For a friend who gave us a vial of insulin when he needed it. 4. For opportunities to share faith at a family funeral last weekend. 5. For 2 days of rest and 2 days organizing. 6. That hubby painted a wall in the studio/office. 7. That our son got the cast of his arm and can work again. Have a great week.

    • Diane says

      I’m so glad that the post arrived in your inbox, Suzi! You may be aware that all the big email providers tightened their spam controls and our typical systems of sending posts get caught in their filters. Ugh. I made a few changes, but I wasn’t seeing any benefits. You just made my day. Thanks for letting me know.

      Suzi…to smell like coffee and Wurthers…that’s a nice aroma. I’m pretty sure you have an aroma that blesses others for sure. 😉

      Thanks for sharing your ‘seven’ with us. It’s it wonderful to see God at work meeting our needs through the week?

      May your week be filled with extraordinary JOY moments! [hugs]

  8. You have a sweet scent my friend. Even in your trials you reach out and bless others. I am happy to hear your hubby has found work. That must be such a relief for you. I have so much to be thankful for that I couldn’t possibly list them all, but here are seven off the top of my head.
    1. A wonderful Memorial Day weekend with all my kids home.
    2. A few sales in my little Etsy store already.
    3. Beautiful, gorgeous weather this week.
    4. A report of benign for my mom’s tests.
    5. Safe travels for my daughter last weekend.
    6. Three children who are truly blessings.
    7. A husband who is so dependable.

    Blessings,
    Deborah

  9. I never thought about it as an aroma, but I do have a sense about spirituality in those I meet. I was, indeed, wondering about the photo, so thanks!

  10. Just yesterday, a friend and I were talking about the same subject and now I was led to your blog to read this. God knows how to get the message to us.

  11. Sweet Diane, thank you so much for sharing your wisdom—your words have not only encouraged me but also comforted me this morning. I made the You have the sweet aroma you speak of and as such does spread to others! found this morning at imparting grace. Added you to blogloving—so I don’t miss anything. Have a lovely joy filled week.

  12. This is beautiful, Diane! I love the thought of “splashing on eau de love,” etc. What a great way to think about it!

    Thanks so much for sharing this at Grace at Home!

  13. Oh what a great post. I really enjoyed this. Thanks for sharing such truth today. I love the 7. I’ll be back to think more and comment mine. I am following you now. I couldn’t log into facebook but you can visit me at
    SherrysBack2Blog@yahoo.com I’ll follow if you’ll leave me a comment there.
    Have a wonderful day. I’ll be back after I visit the links. Oh I came over from Imparting Grace. I linked too.
    Smiles and Blessings,
    Sherry

  14. What a lovely post, and your first photo is outstanding. You always share your wisdom and love about Christ with us. Your spirit and kindness shows in your writing style of belief.
    1. beautiful weather
    2. down to 2 days a week for PT instead of
    3. being able to once again be in my beloved garden
    4. hubs digging holes for me in the garden
    5. my kitchen redo coming along, and I’m loving it
    6. sleeping well at night
    7. loving waking up in the morning with the sweet smell of spring coming through the windows

  15. Kathy says

    Awesome – I’ll have to share this with Dearest! He’ll love it! I do appreicate you sharing with Home and Garden Thursday,
    Kathy

  16. Julieanne Hernandez says

    Diane thank you for sharing your wonderful and amazing experience to us. Indeed you have a sweet fragrance. Keep sharing please!

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