Strawberries on my mind...
I usually pick strawberries with Tyler in the swing and Jaden next to me saying "This one's ready", but tonight I went out after the boys' bedtime and picked strawberries and pulled weeds (I don't normally pull weeds because monkey see-monkey do, would pull out all my strawberry plants) all by myself, well minus the mosquitos. Anyway, as I was pulling weeds, I had a revelation about weeds being like sin in our lives (I'm sure I've heard this correlation before but as I pulled, I kept having deeper ideas...kinda shocking for this mom of little ones!). Since I haven't pulled the weeds yet this season, there were almost as many weeds as strawberry plants. I had a hard time finding the weeds within the plants and pulled an occasional strawberry plant up by accident. At that point I started thinking that sin, when it is so prevalent in my life, is so hard to get rid of. It even is looked over so easily and becomes just part of my life. Pretty soon, its choking me and I can't grow as well. And like picking the strawberry plants accidentally, when I do start to consciously get rid of sin, some of the good parts of me can be affected, through consequences of my sin and bad habits that I have started.
At this point, I am pleasantly surprised (with a little shock in there) of these deep thoughts I was having in the quiet of the country (Although, the neighbor lady was calling for "Arthur" and was hoping she wasn't thinking I was Arthur"...still quieter than normal for me though!). But (don't fall out of your seats, people) my thoughts went even deeper! (shocker!!) As I pulled weeds for a half hour or so (I told you they were bad), I realized that the longer I pulled them, the easier they were to spot! I wasn't struggling to miss the strawberry plants and pulling weeds faster than when I started. When I first looked at the strawberries, I didn't see the weeds at all. I saw one and thought, hmm I should probably pull some of these...It also felt good to pull them so I just kept pulling them. I knew it was helping the plants and I knew I was taking care of my garden (correlation: Taking care of my spiritual life!). Then on my last glance over at all the plants, I could SEE the weeds I had missed! I got them out easily because I was more aware of them and wanted them out, my garden "clean".
AND THEN! I realized that this was what a REAL quiet time meant for me and meditating/listening to God in my own life. It is hard to "create" or "force" a quiet time for me. I want it to be sincere, not rushed, in tune with my daily life. This was a HUGE revelation for me. I am so thankful for that time alone. I haven't had that kind of quiet time (figuratively and literally) before, or at least in a LONG time.
One more thought (I know, I know, you think someone hacked into my account and is writing this for me...will the REAL Erica please stand up?...)...
I am so thankful for a Gardener who knows his garden (my life), has an incomparable green thumb, and unlike me, who is imperfect and pulls the wrong thing half the time, can find the weeds with me and help me pull them out. He may allow the consequences in my life, but will be with me every step of the way. And the strawberries that DO make it out...will be the most delicious I could ever imagine.
AND by cleaning my garden (sin in my life) my harvest will be so much better next year because I saved so many plants this year by keeping the weeds out.
OK OK I'm stopping now. But I hope there is much more where that came from. You never knew weeding was so powerful, did you?
Next post...
Craig's Inspirational Contemplations while mowing our 1.5 acres...
Actually, that's not a joke! He made a correlation at LT Group last night!! I need to start a new blog about our spiritual journey in our own backyard!! God is with us here. I am so thankful. blessed. and undeserving.
At this point, I am pleasantly surprised (with a little shock in there) of these deep thoughts I was having in the quiet of the country (Although, the neighbor lady was calling for "Arthur" and was hoping she wasn't thinking I was Arthur"...still quieter than normal for me though!). But (don't fall out of your seats, people) my thoughts went even deeper! (shocker!!) As I pulled weeds for a half hour or so (I told you they were bad), I realized that the longer I pulled them, the easier they were to spot! I wasn't struggling to miss the strawberry plants and pulling weeds faster than when I started. When I first looked at the strawberries, I didn't see the weeds at all. I saw one and thought, hmm I should probably pull some of these...It also felt good to pull them so I just kept pulling them. I knew it was helping the plants and I knew I was taking care of my garden (correlation: Taking care of my spiritual life!). Then on my last glance over at all the plants, I could SEE the weeds I had missed! I got them out easily because I was more aware of them and wanted them out, my garden "clean".
AND THEN! I realized that this was what a REAL quiet time meant for me and meditating/listening to God in my own life. It is hard to "create" or "force" a quiet time for me. I want it to be sincere, not rushed, in tune with my daily life. This was a HUGE revelation for me. I am so thankful for that time alone. I haven't had that kind of quiet time (figuratively and literally) before, or at least in a LONG time.
One more thought (I know, I know, you think someone hacked into my account and is writing this for me...will the REAL Erica please stand up?...)...
I am so thankful for a Gardener who knows his garden (my life), has an incomparable green thumb, and unlike me, who is imperfect and pulls the wrong thing half the time, can find the weeds with me and help me pull them out. He may allow the consequences in my life, but will be with me every step of the way. And the strawberries that DO make it out...will be the most delicious I could ever imagine.
AND by cleaning my garden (sin in my life) my harvest will be so much better next year because I saved so many plants this year by keeping the weeds out.
OK OK I'm stopping now. But I hope there is much more where that came from. You never knew weeding was so powerful, did you?
Next post...
Craig's Inspirational Contemplations while mowing our 1.5 acres...
Actually, that's not a joke! He made a correlation at LT Group last night!! I need to start a new blog about our spiritual journey in our own backyard!! God is with us here. I am so thankful. blessed. and undeserving.
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