Have you gone to your local garden supply yet? It’s almost time! Ready your soil for perineal and annual flowers, along with food for the summer. We love shopping at Block’s for our flowers and veggies. Although, each year we seem to over plant and grow more food than we can eat or share! Every spring we tell ourselves we’re not going to plant again but the liberation that comes from producing your own food makes it near impossible to stop.
Until weeds.
Okay. Let me remind you that I don’t handle dirt or touching anything harboring spiders/insects well. In my blog, Naked and Afraid, I give a graphic insight to my true feelings regarding this. But wait, there’s more! (Infomercial Sales Pitch Voice) I also can’t bear soiling my hands in a contaminated sink full of warm soapy water mixed with who knows what off my toddlers plate. Yes, I am a mother. No, I do not do dishes by hand. Using the dishwasher is a must. My husband is so compassionate and enduring in my weakness. He almost always washes out the crock pot for me after its corroded in the fridge with left over chicken and dumplings. (Any This Is Us fans protesting their crock pots though?)
Back to weeds.
They are never-ending, life choking, a thorn in my side half of the year. Thankfully Michigan gets cold the other half of the year to kill them all off! Don’t you wish life was like that? Work on yourself for 6 months then the other 6 months chill out and let the bad stuff die on its own. Too bad life doesn’t work that way. We have to work at life.
I do have an unpopular opinion about weeds though. They are beautiful in my view. Bright yellow dandelions that evolve into wish blowers and nature horns mixed in with rich green grass mirages a meadow in my back yard. Am I the only one who actually admires them? Watch the video tagged to have more of an appreciation https://dailymotion.com/video/x6h87vr?autoPlay=1
You have to watch the video before reading any further. I’m serious.
Thinking twice about killing those magical horns, aren’t you? That lady is too sweet to let down. #SaveTheDandelions
Our lives are botanical more than they are mechanical. We are able to transform our lives by the renewing of our minds, (see Romans 12:2) which means we can change what happens next. We can stop the dysfunctional patterns of our upbringing so that our children will be whole. We can change how we speak about ourselves when we look in the mirror by no longer imitating the culture around us and embracing value beyond outward beauty. We can garden our hearts and reap beauty from the dirt we were planted in.
Ezekiel 19:10-11:
10“Your mother was like a vine planted by the water’s edge. It had lush, green foliage because of the abundant water. 11Its branches became strong—strong enough to be a ruler’s scepter. It grew very tall, towering above all others. It stood out because of its height and its many lush branches.
That’s you, Mom! When planted by the Living Water, the fruit of your branches–your children and grandchildren–brings glory to God and your life. You go from no sleep to full sleep. Tempers to time-outs. Milk to pizza rolls. Diapers to potty training. All in the name of Motherhood for the Glory of God. Mirror Jesus to your children by showing them what being a mother grounded in truth, stability and godly reverence rewards.
When you plant patients, you reap patients. Love, you reap love. Faithfulness, you reap faithfulness. Along with planting comes weeding. Weeds of anger choke plants of patients. Weeds of hate choke plants of love. Weeds of insecurity choke plants of faithfulness. If you don’t pull weeds from the root they will return instantly. Tend your life like a garden and you will reap what you sow.
“Your secret weakness will be your secret weapon.” – Steven Furtick
“The only clean stable is an empty stable. So if you want the work of an ox and to enjoy an abundant harvest, you’ll have a mess or two to clean up!” Proverbs 14:4 TPT
Don’t be afraid to get messy! You want to enjoy a healthy marriage? Be a healthy wife! You want to have God-loving children? Be a God-loving mother! You want to enjoy the harvest of a hard-worked, fruitful life? Get your hands dirty and pull those weeds! Plant those seeds! Maybe this Mother’s Day your children will bring you flowers. I pray you will be reminded that those flowers are a gift of your gardening in Motherhood. Your children are your greatest harvest. Have a wonderful Mother’s day and remember! Don’t let the dandelion horn die!
