Deep Thoughts and Little Happenings

June is coming, but I cannot leave the garden before taking a second look at the pruning process.  I want to look at pruning from the perspective of the one being pruned. A plant in our garden has no say when we pull out the clippers or shears, but it's a different story when God is pruning His children. We are not plants; we are living beings. God created us and He gave us free will.  He wants us to choose Him and His ways; not out of obligation but because we love, value, and trust Him above all others (including ourselves). Jesus gave us a word picture in John 15 to help us better understand our need to stay in relationship with Him. He also said everyone connected with Him will be pruned. I've heard there are only two responses to the pruning process. Rebellion or cooperation. I believe there are two more. Resignation or gratitude . Why do I believe this? Experience! The LORD pointed out my "I'll accept Your way but I don't like it" attit...

My azaleas have finished blooming and it's time to prune them in preparation for next year's b looms.  I've learned timing and method is im portant when pruning, and not all plants should be pruned at the same time or in the same way.   For instance, deadheading is considered pruning.  Who knew?! Pruning is an ongoing part of our life in Christ and plays a major role in our ability to bear fruit.  In John 15, Jesus refers to Himself as the Vine and us as the branches of the Vine.  He also tells us very directly; we will be pruned.  We aren't pruned as punishment.   We're pruned so we will be stronger, more useful, and bear more fruit. Not one branch on a vine will bring fruit on its own.  The only thing a branch must do is stay connected to the life-giving vine.  The same is true of us and our relationship with Jesus.  W e cannot be fruitful apart from Him.  One other thing, Jesus is ver y clear about the pruning proc...

Perennials live for more than one season. T hose in Christ are perennials. God made a way for me (and you) to have eternal life. He came to earth, lived a sinless life, died in our place, and was resurrected. Jesus is living in heaven right now. He's preparing a place for each of us to live when we get there.   Jesus also came to give us abundant life on earth. Abundant living sometimes seems impossible when life brings hardship and heartache. So h ow do we keep from living stunted, withered, and unproductive lives?   Keep the LORD as our first love. Seek to know Him and His ways through Scripture and prayer.   Walk by the Spirit. He was given to us to help us live the most joyful, beautiful, and vibrant life possible. S eek God’s perspective in every relationship. God is the Master Gardener; He did not plant us haphazardly. We’re planted where we are for a purpose.  Those around us are there for a reason.   ----------- ...

I’ve always been fascinated by bees.  They’re beautiful and tempt me to touch.  A word of caution, the females sting.  And before you ask, I have no idea how to tell which bees are female. I do know bees play an important role in the garden.  They pollinate flowers, vegetables, fruits, and trees.  It’s the result of their movement, but it’s not their reason for going to the garden.  No, t hey’re there to gather food.  They’re doing what bees do. Bees seem to defy the laws of aerodynamics, and at one time, it was thought the flight of a bumblebee was a physical impossibility.  Bees never stopped flying because man didn’t understand how it was possible .  No! They continued flying because that's what bees do. I see two important spiritual lessons here:  1 – Be who you were created to be, and 2 - Don’t listen to those who question your ability to do what you’re created to do. Being is freedom.  God put me (and...

Today’s topic is weed control, and I'm going to start with excerpts from the mowing guidelines Weed Man sent us.  “A properly mowed lawn is thicker, healthier and better able to withstand stresses like weeds, insects and diseases.” and “Weeds never quit.  They take any opening to reestablish in the lawn.” Weeds mar a beautiful lawn and hide patiently under the soil.  Some reseed.  Others grow nodules.  And then there are those with root hairs.  That’s what I call those miniscule roots left behind when you pull up the tuberous root of a dandelion. Ugh!  Weeds of the heart are the same.  They sprout at unexpected times and manifest in many different ways.  Fear, insecurity, worry, bitterness, and discontent to name a few.  They infiltrate the soil of our heart and pop up with a word or action that mars the beauty of our lives. I’m learning thought control is key in controlling the weeds of my heart.  But I can’t jus...

While in GA with my parents, I was fortunate enough to spot two red amaryllis in a bed of red & white ones.  I say fortunate because Momma sent them home with me.  I planted them across the sidewalk from my other amaryllis.   Why?   Because when planted together, they all start producing red and white blooms. Okay, I confess!  Curiosity kicked my “why” gene into hyperdrive.  Why do those bulbs stop blooming red and start blooming red and white?   I haven't found the answer, but it definitely reinforces a lesson I learned way back in high school.   A hard lesson learned with a close friend. In today’s vernacular, we were BFF’s, and we gave each other the courage to do things we never would’ve done apart.   Sadly, they were not constructive, helpful, or profitable activities.   They were “fun” things like skipping school.   Honestly, they were only fun in the moment.   I was miserable the rest of the time. ...

We got a letter informing us our yard service provider is no longer offering those services.  We solicited recommendations and got multiple suggestions.  After a lengthy process of elimination, we finally settled on two.  One for weekly mowing and edging.  Another for maintaining the long-term health of our lawn. Our new provider told us they always do a soil test.  I googled soil.  No surprises there; plants need good soil! The soil needs to be rich in nutrients, have the right pH balance, and drain properly.  If there is a problem with the soil, there will be a problem with the plant.   Jesus compared hearts to soil in the parable of the sower.  Good seed cannot grow in bad soil.  God gives us a fresh new heart when we choose to believe Jesus for our salvation and make Jesus LORD (boss) of our lives.  Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit to help us take care of our new heart.   The Holy Spirit helps us guard agai...

A friend and neighbor called an exterminator because of snakes in her garden!  Yes, it's true!  She had the most beautiful garden on the block and yet snakes were nesting there.   They found a place hidden away behind the beauty and multiplied.  Momma's English Dogwood

Our family has a tradition we call the Flower Walk.  It's an early morning stroll around the garden looking at all that's changed since the previous day.  There's nothing like the quiet stillness, broken only by the singing of the birds.  The dew is heavy and the air is cool. Our Flower Walk is usually done alone, but I do the Flower Walk with Momma or Daddy whenever I'm back home.  We carry a cup of hot drink and amble around the yard and talk about what we see.  We don't whisper, but there is a hush to our words; we speak with a quietness to match the morning air.  We usually settle on the porch and talk about life as we've talked about the garden.  We talk about the things past and dreams for things yet to come.  There is an intimacy in the time we spend together.   There's the lingering of many past walks; the hope of future walks. Gardening, for me, is not about the work or even the flowers that come and go with the seasons....