I hope that this is the year I can keep my plants alive. I want them to be Pinterest-worthy, for once.

I’m doing well thus far, at least with my potted plants. I can’t tell you what all I’ve got, other than some spiky things, a geranium, some petunias, and sweet potato vine, which is supposed to withstand even the most neglectful care. 

Youngest Daughter helped me plant them around a month ago, during spring break, but she was confused about the sweet potato vine.

“Mom, how are sweet potatoes going to grow in this pot? It’s not big enough.”

What she didn’t know: sweet potato vine is an ornamental plant. It doesn’t actually make sweet potatoes, but its bright green leaves can tolerate the hottest, driest days of summer and keep a potted arrangement looking its best deep into the fall.

Thus proceeded an explanation of potted floral arrangements and a brief search of thrillers, spillers, and fillers:

The filler is a mid-size plant, usually with brightly colored flowers. It will fill out the arrangement, making it lush and vibrant. The spiller is meant to grow out and over the sides, giving depth and texture to the entire piece. Sometimes the spiller is all greenery, as in the sweet potato vine, but sometimes the spiller also has flowers, as in the case of petunias.

Then there is the eye-catching thriller, which rises up and towers over the rest of the arrangement. 

Last year, my thrillers were gigantic zinnias, and I ended up with no filler and no spiller. The zinnias dominated the pot, and by summer’s end, their dried and browned leaves and stems had blown over in a summer storm. It was a pitiful arrangement; while the zinnias, all in shades of pink, were a 10 out of 10, the overall impact was maybe a 2 out of 10.

It makes me think of Scripture. The Holy Bible is made up of 66 books. There’s a lot of filler and spiller. There’s the beauty of the poetic books, the Psalms and Proverbs, and so many others filled with descriptions of God and His relationship with His people. Throughout them all, there are glimpses of the thriller, a flash here, and a vision there.

The King is coming. 

From the beginning, He was always with us. 

He rises up and over and grows through the entire lovely piece, giving it structure and life. 

He is the Arrangement.

This afternoon, I admired my plants as I sat on the porch, along with my family. We had just eaten Easter dinner, and the kids, all teenagers and young adults, had hunted cheap plastic eggs. They knocked each other down in search of the prize.

My plants sat quietly on the porch. They are prize enough for me, and today is a perfect reminder of the thrill of knowing and believing in Christ as my Savior and Lord. 

His resurrection gives hope for all time. 

The spiritual fillers and spillers growing in my soul are sustained by the ultimate Thriller, who gives me life more abundantly.

As for my plants, well, when the first frost comes, or when I stop watering them, they’ll be toast.

But as for my soul, I’ll live forever.

It is Easter, and the King is alive.