Mary and her father live in a little cottage on the property of The Count of Eichbourg where Mary's father is a gardner. Mary's father maintains a beautiful garden for the Count. He has taught Mary his skills. When Mary is quite young her mother passes away. Mary's father teaches her about her Father in heaven every day of her life. Every instance in life is a teachable moment from the Scriptures. He has raised Mary to be a very honest and upright woman who loves the Lord and loves and serves her father well.
One day while Mary is out gathering Lily of the Valley's to brighten up their home the Counts daughter and wife come by. Feeling a desire to brighten their day Mary gives them the flowers she has gathered. There begins a friendship between Mary and the young Countess Amelia. When Mary presents Amelia with a lovely basket of flowers for her birthday Amelia gives Mary a lovely dress in return. With the gift Mary's father is concerned that Mary will become discontent and seek treasures of the world if she is not careful of her heart. He feels that the dress will bring his daughter trouble. He is soon proved correct.
Shortly after Mary returns home with the dress a ring is found to be missing from the Countesses bedroom. Mary is the only one that was in the rooms so it is assumed that she is the thief. She is carried off to jail in disgrace. With the testimony of a maid condemning her Mary and her father are soon banished from the village. All the while Mary has told the truth, even when threatened with death, that she did not steal the ring.
Throughout her time in jail and after being banished Mary and her father never falter in their faith in the Lord. There is no bitterness in them. They know that they are in the Lord's hands. Mary's father continues to teach her lessons of life through readings of Scripture. These lessons help to form Mary as a young girl and into womanhood, through trials and tribulations and through triumphs she never waivers in her faith.
Originally written in the 1700's The Basket of Flowers has been translated from German. I really enjoyed this tale of disgrace and triumph. Mary's father lived out the scripture, speaking of God's commands, "These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." Deut. 6: 6-9
What a blessing our children would have today if we were as faithful as Mary's father and taught our children God's truths from the time they are born!
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