The Lord gave me a really unique lens that I see everything through and that is celebration. I grew up in the Flower-shop world. To go a step further, I am actually a 3rd generation florist. My grandmother, mom, and aunt all have owned a flower-shop. I took the baton and kept running with endurance when I was 24. Fresh out of college and newly married. (no pressure right?)
Death has always been strange for me and very matter fact when going through the motions. I knew the steps that have to be taken from a very young age. For the longest time I never understood why some funerals were called a “Celebration of Life”. Weddings being a celebration? Anniversaries? Birthdays? All sound like something to celebrate, but a funeral…. not so much. Seemed like a very depressing party to me.
Jesus found me in junior high. I, to my limited knowledge, fully surrendered to Him when I was in college. This surrendering process is a cycle on repeat daily through sanctification and my own personal becoming (Psalm 118:14), but I always have yearned to know more of Him. To be like Jesus and live so intimately with Him like the spiritual giants of the faith I knew and loved so dearly. When you pray to know Him more you can figure that out 1 of 2 ways. You either learn so much about Him you feel closer to Him or you either hurt so much you lean deeper into trusting of The Author and Perfecter of your story. I found myself in the second category starting the end of my senior year of High-school.
Through heartbreak, devastating loss of people and relationship, burnout, isolation, depression, anxiety, shame, guilt and everything else this world has to offer - The hurt had me press into Jesus more and more as time went on.
When celebration really started grabbing hold of my heart was in 2021. I wanted to start a podcast. What was it going to be about? I had no clue. Still to this day every-time I tell someone I have a podcast I tell them “Just start at season 2. 1 is pretty rough.” This podcast did something in me little by little through every conversation I had. It unfolded my love for deep conversation, intentionality, celebration and curiosity of stories. When I got the first season under my belt, I also wanted to start a flower subscription that went hand in hand with the podcast. A vessel to encourage women where they were. To celebrate moms that felt less than seen and celebrated where they were. The SAHM, the working mom, single mom, depressed mom, the mom who had a child with special needs…. the list goes on.
Ultimately, I learned through every conversation that there is always something worthy of celebration. There is good in everything - even when you feel like you are in the depths of earthly hell. Even in the pain, we can celebrate because He is good and He is faithful. Everytime we celebrate…. we choose to remember. WE are remembering our gifts and blessings even when we feel far from deserving. We are remembering His goodness and faithfulness. (Joshua 4) I have learned, celebrating isn’t just a party, it is found in the peace of still waters. (Psalm 23) The healing the touch of a hug brings. The quiet breaths of your baby sleeping. The church body showing up in grief with a cooked meal. The audacious and rebellious hope of the bud that chooses to bloom.
If you are still reading this, I don’t know where you find yourself in celebration right now. We all hold the tension of grief and joy this side of heaven. If your spirit is heavy with grief- I pray you find rest, purpose and healing through the pain. If you are on the mountaintop- keep pressing into Jesus even when if feels okay to walk with independence.
“Jesus sat in the midst of joy sipping the coming sorrow so we could sit in the midst of sorrow and sip the coming joy” Timothy Keller
Jenny Lee Hines, Owner & Chief Celebrating Officer of Jameson’s Flowers
Malachi 4:2, Psalm 118:14, Psalm 23, Mark 5:25- 34
