Giving Thanks In My Garden

I'm not a gardener, I don't like yard work and in fact, I barely like being outside. I enjoy those modern day conveniences such as air conditioning, heat and basic shelter. I enjoy weather such as a beautiful clean snow fall, bright sunshine, moon-lit nights and even stormy days but I mostly enjoy seeing them from the comforts of my home while peering out of the window. So this is why I do not garden. I just don't want to spend that much time in the great outdoors.

Last year, in preparation for Amanda's graduation party, I was forced to work in our yard. The first time event was so significant, I even took pictures. I solicited the entire family as we did a major over haul on our yard. It was much needed and the party was just the motivation we needed to get it done.

Being unfamiliar territory to me, you can imagine my initial feelings of being overwhelmed. Where do I begin? There were some old plants that probably out lived their best years. There were some old plants that would still be very useful. There were a lot of weeds. There were some trees and shrubs that needed to be moved. I was confused. Some things were just obvious --those dead things that had to go or the thorny thistles that needed to be pulled. Some things were less obvious. Sometimes weeds disguise themselves in colors of splendor and with lack of gardening knowledge, I was sometimes confused between the flowers and the weeds. Other things were "ify". They could probably work better if I moved them around or maybe they just needed to go all together. The one thing I knew for certain I needed to do was to just take the plunge and get to work.

Inevitably, I did make some errors. I pulled plants I thought were weeds, I unintentionally trampled on good flowers, I moved things that ended up looking better where the used to be -- but over all, things were much better. It was two days of solid back-breaking work but when it was done, it was so rewarding to take a step back and see the results of our efforts. In the weeks leading to the big event, I daily walked through my yard pulling weeds, watering, fixing and admiring. The work was continuous but so was the glory of it all.

The party came and went. No sooner than saying good-bye to the last guest did I forget all about my yard. I went back to my old way of life -- staying locked in doors, not tending to the weeds in the garden, not watering the yard and basically -- just not caring.

About 2 weeks after the party Jerry left for Georgia to spend the summer working on refurbishing a home for his parents. During one of our daily phone conversations he asked, "How's the yard look?" Wow! I had no clue. I mean yes, it was right outside my door and yes, I drove by it every day (in my air conditioned van on the way to the garage and then into my air conditioned house) but it just faded into the normalcy of my passing by. I never really took it in. I then stepped out the front door to take a look and I could not believe my eyes! Could this really be that beautiful yard I worked so hard to fix up?

The grass was yellowish brown and just screaming out for water --so much so it was almost audible. The garden was over taken by weeds -- more weeds than we first started out with! Not only was there an abundance of weeds, they were huge; some of them were 2 feet tall! The once vibrant and pretty flowers wilted away. I really could not believe my eyes. I mean, I expected there would be some weeds but this was so much bigger and much worse than I imagined it would be. Well, to my husband's question I replied, "What yard?"

At the end of the summer my husband and I resolved to start fresh again in the spring and this time keep up with the work all summer long. I thought about that for a while and remembering my disdain for the outdoors I said to him, "Or we can wait two more years and just fix it all up again for Monica's graduation party."

The lessons I learned here go beyond the garden. I'm in a Bible Study with some of my co-workers. We're studying the book of Daniel and the theme of the study is INTEGRITY. During the course of this study I have often thought about my garden and how it reflects my life.

There are things I need to get rid of in my life -- the weeds, so to speak which are sin and stumbling blocks. It's not as easy as it sounds. Sometimes weeds look pretty and appealing -- as does sin in our lives. Sometimes things don't seem that bad-- like white lies for example but when left there to take root, it's not long before that white lie is 2 feet tall! When I look at my life as being a garden, I can feel over whelmed just like I did when I first began my yard work. What stays? What goes? What needs to change or be moved? What if I make a mistake?

The thing is, I will make mistakes but sometimes we have to make mistakes in order to grow. I know the process of gardening my life will be painful. After the two days of real gardening, I was sore for days. There are things in my life I will need to get rid of and though they might not have been bad things, there just wasn't room in the garden for them. It is only after we take out the weeds and unnecessary things that we can then take a step back and see the beauty and enjoy the glory.

So this is what God is leading me to embark on -- weeding out my life and moving things around where they can get more SONshine and more growth. I don't suspect it will only be a two day process as in the case of my yard but I do know one thing, it has to be a continual process. Daily I need to walk through the garden and nip those weeds that are beginning to grow. I need to water my life-garden with the nourishing Word of God. I need to prune and cut and move those things that are healthy in order for them to continue to grow.

So on this Thanksgiving Eve I resolve to garden my life and in that process, see the things I am most thankful for and tend to them daily:

A heavenly Father that cares for me enough to grow my garden.

Firmly planted family roots from all of my parents, grandparents, sisters, cousin and Aunt.

The new growth in my garden when I added a husband, brothers, nieces, nephews, in-laws and friends.

Little tiny shrubs that once were my babies that are now growing into full grown trees with blossoms and fruit. I know it won't be long before they are transplanted into their own garden so for now, I appreciate their splendor and the beauty they add to my own garden.

Happy Thanksgiving!