Weeds
I've been watering the weeds.
My front flower bed has been all but forgotten - the middle child of my lawn. Hand-me-down plants that didn't seem to go anywhere else ended up here, weeded only once the garden has been carefully tended to and the lawn precisely mowed, I get to this flower bed once upon a never. But with all good intentions, I water it from time to time thinking I'll get the ground all soft and the next day I will pull the weeds out with ease.
The road to hell, they say, is paved....
I went out the front door this afternoon to check the mail and was astonished by my front bed. I can't even call it a flower bed. It was a weed bed. My poor flowers. I waited for the afternoon to settle into the early cool of evening and I went out with my bucket and trowel to remedy my self-created situation.
I was on my hands in knees in the dirt, listening to the bird on the wire scold me, when I realized how many times I had watered these weeds and never returned to pull them. I paused for a moment when I realized the weeds in my life I've been watering. How many times have I said I'll change this habit or stop that one? How many times, with road-paving intentions have I laid plans in my head to make a change tomorrow, in the morning, on Monday or next week, but never "got around to it"?
My life, I fear, looks in some ways much like my weed bed. It's hard to see the fruits.
I was out there for awhile digging and raking and pulling and weeding when I noticed my sad puppy eyeing me out the front door. I went out back and got his leash and brought him out where he lay in the shade of the tree while I worked. And it comforted me. I had company now. I wasn't out here alone. The bird stopped scolding me and it felt like a peaceful way to spend my evening.
I don't need to weed out my life alone, either. I have an ever-present support system just waiting on me - waiting to encourage - literally to give me the courage - waiting to provide me with the resources, the willpower, the stamina...whatever I need, I know it will be provided.
The bed was daunting when I began, but before dark I had the front complete. I know in several places I didn't get all the roots of the weeds - it might look thorough now, but it will need vigilance and dedication to keep it this way. I've raked up the soil, trying to disturb any of the weed's roots from flourishing again, but I know it's just a temporary effort. I still have more work to do on both side beds, and it seems now that I'm on the look out for weeds, I see them everywhere in my yard. So much work to do...
Before I went in for the night, I turned on the sprinkler and gave my flowers a long refreshing drink. It was nice to stand back and see all the blossoms and flowers this time.
My front flower bed has been all but forgotten - the middle child of my lawn. Hand-me-down plants that didn't seem to go anywhere else ended up here, weeded only once the garden has been carefully tended to and the lawn precisely mowed, I get to this flower bed once upon a never. But with all good intentions, I water it from time to time thinking I'll get the ground all soft and the next day I will pull the weeds out with ease.
The road to hell, they say, is paved....
I went out the front door this afternoon to check the mail and was astonished by my front bed. I can't even call it a flower bed. It was a weed bed. My poor flowers. I waited for the afternoon to settle into the early cool of evening and I went out with my bucket and trowel to remedy my self-created situation.
I was on my hands in knees in the dirt, listening to the bird on the wire scold me, when I realized how many times I had watered these weeds and never returned to pull them. I paused for a moment when I realized the weeds in my life I've been watering. How many times have I said I'll change this habit or stop that one? How many times, with road-paving intentions have I laid plans in my head to make a change tomorrow, in the morning, on Monday or next week, but never "got around to it"?
My life, I fear, looks in some ways much like my weed bed. It's hard to see the fruits.
I was out there for awhile digging and raking and pulling and weeding when I noticed my sad puppy eyeing me out the front door. I went out back and got his leash and brought him out where he lay in the shade of the tree while I worked. And it comforted me. I had company now. I wasn't out here alone. The bird stopped scolding me and it felt like a peaceful way to spend my evening.
I don't need to weed out my life alone, either. I have an ever-present support system just waiting on me - waiting to encourage - literally to give me the courage - waiting to provide me with the resources, the willpower, the stamina...whatever I need, I know it will be provided.
The bed was daunting when I began, but before dark I had the front complete. I know in several places I didn't get all the roots of the weeds - it might look thorough now, but it will need vigilance and dedication to keep it this way. I've raked up the soil, trying to disturb any of the weed's roots from flourishing again, but I know it's just a temporary effort. I still have more work to do on both side beds, and it seems now that I'm on the look out for weeds, I see them everywhere in my yard. So much work to do...
Before I went in for the night, I turned on the sprinkler and gave my flowers a long refreshing drink. It was nice to stand back and see all the blossoms and flowers this time.
Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. "The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?' 'An enemy did this,' he replied. Matt 13:24-28
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