Last year, I got a couple of hyssop plants on bargain-basement sale at Lowes. I think they were just $1. Only one survived the winter, and I've been really pleased with it! (see below) The spring leaves emerged really early, a bright-light green color, and the plant has grown to small bush size - much larger than its first season here. It does lean a little, which I find annoying, so I decided to prune some of the weight buy taking off the largest blooms from the top.
I have, and you probably do too, scripture bits floating around in my head. Very few references, of course, just pieces that I've read or heard or memorized. Like the one that floats by every time I walk the garden and see the hyssop:
The plant smells amazing - pungent, citrusy and bold; similar to lavender, except not as floral. It smells ... rounder, if I can use that word to describe an aroma. Anyway, having just clipped a big pile of the stuff, I decided to try it out.
Yes, I'm extremely literal.
I rubbed big fistfuls up and down my sweaty, yardwork-grimed arms, thinking - cleanse me with hyssop.
Yes, I'm extremely literal.
I rubbed big fistfuls up and down my sweaty, yardwork-grimed arms, thinking - cleanse me with hyssop.
And for a little while I did smell wonderfully like hyssop, and some of the sweat and grime was wiped away. Surprisingly, it only lasted about fifteen minutes before it was gone completely! Not a trace of that strong, clean smell lasted!
I plunked some stems into a vase and was reminded that only Jesus' blood can truly clean - and not my smelly, sweaty outside, but my truly sin-soiled soul. The hyssop is a beautiful Old Testament foreshadowing of what was to come.
You can read all the biblical hyssop references here.
For more on O.T. foreshadowing read Hebrews 9.
beautiful post. and the last picture is beautiful too!!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your comment on the IAWL pendant... of course I MUST have it! Foreshadowing of our coming Lord in the OT just thrills my soul too. Thanks for talking about it.
ReplyDeleteLove this post. So beautiful, I love plants and gardens and the parables they bring into our lives.
ReplyDeleteNow I'm coveting a hyssop, dang! I think that breaks a commandment. You have a beautiful yard.
Hmmmm. You have me converted too. Must find a hyssop plant so I can experience the smell you've described, and maybe then buy it for my own garden!
ReplyDeleteIf you come over to my blog today there's a link to my Potions blog where I've been experimenting with making herbal bath oils using fresh herbs from the garden. You could use hyssop and make yourself a very inexpensive but beautifully fragrant hyssop oil.
I want to plant a biblical herb garden! I looked up herbs for relieving chest congestion today & found hyssop is great for that! My daughter picked up some liquid drops & we are going to add it to tea tonite & try it. Thanks for sharing your story & I am going to shop at Lowe's in Cullman, Alabama tomorrow to see if they carry it! :)
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