How Does How Does YOUR Garden Grow -- With Pretty Flowers or Pesky Weeds?

After a week away from home, I was overwhelmed when I saw the weeds that had popped up in my flower beds in such a short period of time. Whew! Dear God, why did you create weeds to grow so well and oftentimes grow so much healthier and stronger than the beautiful flowers and plants that have difficulty growing?

I remember reading a friend’s post when she asked for advice for getting rid of weeds in her garden. Some of the comments and recommendations from others were: “Put newspaper around the plant – it will suffocate the weeds”; “Put grass clippings around the plant”; and I loved this one “Don’t plant a garden!” LOL!

Those garden weeds caused me to think about the weeds that may have grown in our heart’s garden – weeds of selfishness, pride, self-centeredness, laziness, bitterness, anger, envy, doubt, unbelief, sadness, fear, etc. I don’t know about you, but I recognize those weeds that creep into my heart’s garden when I haven’t watered my heart with prayer enough or focused enough on God’s “Light” (His Word).

As soon as I sense THOSE heart weeds, I get out my “weed eater/annihilator” out and I:
1) First, cultivate the soil and add a good mixture of fertilizer (prayer).
2) Plant the seeds of God’s Word (Bible reading, meditating and speaking the words) into my heart.
3) Give the plants (my heart) plenty of sunshine (speaking the light of God’s Word over the situations that may be troubling or concerning me)
4) Give the plants plenty of water (thanking, praising, trusting in God’s goodness and mercy to complete what He started).

It was a beautiful, cooler and rainy morning here in Frisco yesterday. I made up my mind that as soon as the rain would stop, I’d go out, while the soil was wet, to easily pull the weeds out of my flower beds and herb garden. I did. No doubt, those little weeds will show up again one day soon, but, no problem – I’ll be the weed eradicator once again. And in the same way, I’ll keep monitoring my “heart” garden and I’ll make sure it is “weed” free so that an abundant harvest of sweet and beautiful fruit shows up daily. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.......” Galatians 5:22,23

St. Paul said it so well. Once we plant the seed…..God will make it grow! "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow." I Corinthians 3:6,7. God is the Master Gardener, and what He plants, always yields a great harvest!

An Honest Day’s Pay for an Honest Day’s Work

Yesterday I remembered this quote after I saw two men that my son hired to help us. They moved heavy furniture from one room to another; they tore down boxes; they carried heavy boxes up to the attic; and they repositioned heavy rocks that had fallen. My son hired them at a “standard” spot, Home Depot parking lot in East Austin. It’s known as “the spot” to find men who desire an honest day’s pay for an honest day’s work. And, work these two men did. We accomplished so much with their help. They desperately wanted and needed to work and it felt so good to know we were able to be a blessing to him, while he was being a blessing to us.

I picked up my 11-year old grandson from school and he asked about our day and I told him about the men. We talked about how some folks stand on a street corner and they hold up a sign that says “Please help me” or “Please give me anything”, but not too often do we see them saying “Please let me help you" or "Please give me work.” I'm not judging them because I know every person has their own set of circumstances, but isn’t it encouraging to see someone who is willing to work and do whatever it takes to make a living?

God was the first worker and He sure did a good job in showing us what a meaningful day of work was all about. He “worked” for six days creating the world until He chose to rest and appreciate what He had accomplished. God’s example is “an honest day’s work”.

2 Thessalonians 3:10 says "If anyone doesn't want to work, he shouldn't eat." The Proverbs are filled with warnings to the lazy. Laziness is a major headache to employers, and more importantly, it must displease God. For example, Proverbs 6:10-11 “"A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man."

When my husband and I first married (at ages 17 & 18), I worked as a file clerk making $1.25 an hour. I was so happy at the end of the week when I was able to contribute to our budget. And my sweetheart was not only attending college, but he had a full time job, and on top of it, we were able to bring in a little more income by cleaning the church his dad pastored. Not a showy job to brag about except we did say “We’re getting to clean the porcelain thrones (the toilets)!” We would remember the scripture that said in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

I want to be on the side of pleasing God in everything I do – especially when I have the opportunity to be a “chip off God's block” -- work hard, and then sit back and be appreciative for the ability He gave me, as well as what that work produced.