joeywyomingzone4 Thank you for sharing the beauties in your garden. I enjoy them all, esp. Abode Sunrise (I like bright colors).

Today I realize that giving is the key to happiness, rather than getting. If my happiness is based on what I get, like how many "likes" I get from posting, my life would be utterly miserable !
There are at least 20 people who asked for my Evelyn rooting, and these people NEVER post nor click "like", they don't have time to log in, but THEY DO READ my posts, even if they never click "like" for me.

So God in heaven clicks "like" for whatever we do out of love, even if we never realize that God sees our actions.
I'm much happier when my happiness is based on WHAT I GIVE, HOW MUCH I LOVE, and WHAT I ACCOMPLISH per day, than on what I get.

Here are some wise sayings from NDE (near death experiences, or those who died and were brought back to life)

“Day by day we are building for eternity. Every gentle word, every generous thought, every unselfish deed will become a pillar of eternal beauty in the life to come." (Barbara Springer)
Each unkind words, anger, or malice is a steppingstone to hell afterlife.

“We progress at our own rate to reach the light. If we do things that take us away from the light, then we are perpetuating our time here.” (Amber Wells)
“All the suffering in our lives is actually for our good. Out of the most tragic of circumstances springs human growth.” (Angie Fenimore)

“If we learn to give what we have, we will receive more. This is a spiritual law.” (Betty Eadie)
“Life is about people, not pursuits.” (Laurelynn Martin)
“Our lives matter and determine how far we can go into the light.” (Grace Bubulka)

My take of the above NDE's is the more one loves, the faster is the route to heaven. The less one loves, the more life cycles one has to repeat over, and over again until one learns to love. Reincarnation is like going to the "school of learning", or life, many times until one learns to love.

What we get MEANS NOTHING in eternity, I can't take along any fleeting "likes" here, and I can't take along roses nor the stuff I bought down to the grave or eternity, but what I GIVE OUT LASTS FOREVER, since people remember the kind words or how I help them forever unto eternity.

Even as a 61-year-old, I still remember the kind act that a stranger woman (with a baby infant) who stopped her car and gave me a ride. I took the wrong bus that day and was in a strange city after work, I was really scared as a 26-year-old working in Connecticut, and this lady gave me a ride home.

Giving acts last forever unto eternity, but getting lasts a few moments, then we get sick of what we get, and want more. It's so "freeing" for me NOT to buy any roses this year and donate to charities instead. Giving is freeing myself, and getting is like a bondage & tying myself down to a want and possession

In Buddhist philosophy, the key to happiness or fulfillment is to let go of all wishes & desires. Christianity carries further, it's both giving up one's desires for stuff, then taking up one's cross, or one's responsibility to love oneself and others.

Yes Straw. You are correct. What we receive here on Earth is really nothing. Our greatest gift will be our afterlife based on what we do here.... our acceptance of Christ. I find that Christian hymn so meaningful "I Come to the Garden while the dew is still on the roses." I find that I can meditate and pray to God while I am busy working amongst his creations. When I am inside, I seem to be bothered by so many things and interrupted by others.

I got into growing roses because of my father, but now I continue to grow them because of my Heavenly Father. I want to be able to share the roses and bouquet with some of my elderly neighbors

sharon2079 Love what you wrote: "What we receive here on Earth is really nothing. Our greatest gift will be our afterlife based on what we do here.... our acceptance of Christ."

You are so right, what we think is important (what rose to get) is so meaningless when we ALREADY HAVE the best: Jesus' love and approval for what we do, plus eternal life in heaven as the biggest success & achievement one can ask for.

An excerpt from below link:

Jesus said, “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26). To “save” one’s life is to seek first “the kingdom of God, and his righteousness” forgetting this world.

The great purpose in man’s existence is that he “should seek the Lord, if haply” he “might feel after him, and find him” (Acts 17:27).

Most people are busy in working “for the meat which perishes” (John 6:27) and for the water for which, when they drink they will thirst again (John 4:13). Most people “spend money for what is not bread” and work “for what does not satisfy” (Isaiah 55:2).

There is nothing more precious than a person’s eternal life. When a person chooses this passing world instead of heaven, he loses everything. The rich young ruler loved this present world and his riches more than the Lord. And he momentarily did gain the world but lost his eternal life(Luke 18:18-30).

Love and Jesus Christ means more than stuff & successes on earth