May 1, 2024
It’s May Day, and as the song says, it’s Lei Day in Hawai’i!
I am no expert in the craft of creating these exquisite floral adornments. I’ve learned a bit about the birds of Hawai’i, but there are far more plants on this island than birds. I can identify only a few of the more common leaves and blossoms that appear in a lei: maile, ti, plumeria, orchid, and kukui. I am pleased to report that eight years ago I didn’t know what a dendrobium was, and now I can spell it.
So many things go together to create this profusion of lei, a delight not just to the eyes but also to skin and scent. The perfume of a fresh lei is like very little else I know. It says, instantly, “You are welcome and cared for here.”
So many ingredients, and so many combinations, make up the wonder of the lei.
I hope we can take inspiration from those colorful, beautifully perfumed works of art as we live our lives of faith. Too often we imagine faith without color, without delight, without joy. We imagine it with austerity, deprivation, and even hardship.
It’s a strange way to worship the God who filled the sky with stars, and the trees with blossoms, and the ocean waves with pearly spray.
I hope you get to proudly wear a lei today. More than that, I hope you get to faithfully wear a lei today. Proclaim the goodness of One who created in color, and texture, and scent. Proclaim the goodness of One who created as well in flavor and melody.
Tomorrow, let the lei be your guide, as you assemble the blessings of your life into a blessing to share.
In peace,
Pastor Eric
Self-portrait by Eric Anderson.