As a child I visited this lake with my mom’s sister and her husband, two kids. Uncle Whitey had a boat and would take us out to try to ski. My sister was able to do it. I was never strong enough to pull myself up. I never remember seeing lily pads there as a child, but I suppose Uncle Whitey never docked his boat in that particular area.

https://ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/rocky-fork-state-park

The park is between our house (Amelia) and Wilmington. Bob and I first discovered the lily pads there last year. We were delighted. We marked the calendar to go back this year. The weather has been so hot that the lilies were not at their peak. We marked the calendar for earlier next year!

You might wonder about my fascination with Lily pads? I first discovered them as a flower to photograph at the Cincinnati Nature Center during a prayerful walk. That inspired a poem in 1990.

Perhaps I Could Ask You Just to Stand and Tip? ©1990  Molly Lin Dutina 

Lily pads at the pond		
Grow on stalky stems
Leaves unfold an opened palm
Cupped at center point
Summer shower starts to drop
Mercurial glistening spheres
Gathering in the center spot
‘til bulbous weight smears silver drops
Into glistening globs
And tips the leaves so full
To pour their contents overboard
And rising from the spill
Stately shielded lily-hands
Begin the cycle once more

Keep my stem flexible, Lord
My hands open and cupped
Eager to receive Your all
Questioning not Your skill
Only trusting the power of Your love
To melt my rigid will

Drench me Lord 
In Your shower of love
Let me gather and drink my fill
Then spill over on those around
And rise to await Your will

Send water of Your Spirit
To tip me over, pour me out
Then wash over me once again
Fresh cleansing by Holy Words

Shine Your light through
This enshrouding mist
Color me with covenant this:
Abiding presence and constant love,
Indwelling grace that conquers sin
Transfigured rigid I
Yielded and bent
In Your service	
Spilling forth rivers of living water	
And giving rest to croaky voiced frogs	  
Who, when Spirit-kissed,
Become priests and kings	
Singing their praises to You.

Perhaps You ask me just to be Your lily leaf
Stand and tip

Though it had rained earlier in the morning when we visited Rocky Fork, I found no pads with ‘mercurial glistening spheres.” That would have been tremendous!

So here I am 33 years later still trying to do the Lord’s bidding, gather the living water, stand and tip, yielded and bent in His service. May you be Spirit-kissed and become priests and royalty singing praises to God!

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

1 Peter 2:9 NIV