Gardening

On Saturday I was working in my yard. Most of the time I only work in the yard if I have to, that is if the lawn looks like an unkempt 12 year-old's head, or we need to plant a garden to maintain marital unity. Saturday for some reason I was pulling grass and weeds because, well, I guess I wanted to make my wife happy. Funny, she was quite surprised when she came outside.

I was surprised too, when I worked under the deck. There is a profusion of quackgrass growing down there, especially at the edges of the deck where the mower doesn't like to go and the sun still reaches. I was pulling it out by handfuls and throwing it on a pile. Among the quackgrass I found some volunteer sedum, some Manitoba Maple, what looks like a raspberry plant, and a wild strawberry plant that I moved from one of our evergreens in the back. It came with the tree from a ditch north of brandon somewhere. I had also put a few shade-loving perennials in there some time ago, and they (I forget the name) were now blooming shyly in the shadows.

My thoughts on seeing the unexpected raspberry and sedum along with the other desirable plants hiding among the tall grass were of my life and its weeds and plants. I am a follower of Jesus, but I don't always show it very well by the things I do or think about. I give more time than necessary to the nurturing of guilty feelings. Lately, I've tried to trust in and lean on the love of Christ, and not worry so much. Then, I try to enjoy life and love God back.

I ride my bike as fast as I can. I play with my kids. I try to relax once in a while. I try not to be obsessive. I avoid guilt thoughts. I read the Bible. I wash the dishes. I listen to my wife (really, I do). Among all this living, sometimes I wonder where God fits.

Maybe the answer is under the deck. I planted some stuff there. A lot of grass and weeds have shown up. But amid all that, there are a few treasures coming, even without my knowledge or plan.

God, do that in my life. I love you and the way you do things!