Yesterday rain and fog gave way to wind and sun. I wandered out to make an insignificant start on yard cleanup. Pick-up-sticks. On the wind came such a sweet fragrance and took me by surprise. I looked around at bare branches, brown fallen leaves and faded grass and searched my mind for what was teasing me. I had forgotten. Really not surprising, this time of year my favorite garden activity is spent on catalogues and magazines, books and notepads and not rummaging around in small shaded corners. But there against a small wall was the heady fragrance – sweetbox.

Sarcococca hookeriana humilis is the proper name, if I recall correctly. Insignificant bloom tucked down in evergreen leaves giving off its prayer of sweet smelling fragrance.

That’s how I think of people of prayer, off in quiet, almost hidden places – at least in soul – giving of themselves in a sweet fragrance to God on behalf of others. And unlike me, He is always out and about so He turns and bends and looks for them and inhales deeply. (2 Chron 16:9)