DANGER IN THE GARDEN

I spent a large part of the day Saturday enjoying the temperate weather while working in Camille's flower bed.  Sadly, I have neglected those beds since we moved her in their home almost 2 years ago.  My good excuse is the busyness of 3 boys--4 and under--but my good intentions led down the road to almost ruin.

This large corner bed has several trees and shrubs, but also contains a VERY invasive ground cover.  As a LONG time gardener---I need to warn you---be VERY careful when planting ground covers and KNOW they are going to require vigilant trimming and maintenance or they will choke out all other beautiful- and sometime fruitful plants and just leave you with only ground cover as a garden.  The ground cover is planted with the good intention of filling the blank places--filling in the gaps.  In the beginning it just seems to sit there--a clump in the garden--but then slowly and surely it begins to take over the entire bed.  Creeping up and smothering out all the other in the garden.

As I clipped and pulled, I thought of how this reminds me of the sin in my life. It begins in innocence of filling in the gaps---covering the loneliness--just a filler.  If I am not vigilant it will begin to slowly spread, choke out the good, and take control before I realize that I have been consumed.  The best solution is to pull it out by the roots.  At a minimum, I need to keep it nipped in the bud--and not allow any growth.

I snipped---out came the sloth- I am prone to laziness.

I yanked--out came the envy--of others--their marriages, their beautiful homes, their athletic prowess, their fun vacations, their good hair, their successes, on and on---anything someone else has that I look on with desire.

I snipped--out came the pride---pride of life--that I have done nothing to deserve.

I pulled--out came rebellion---my way is not His way---seek ye first the Kingdom of God.

I jerked--out came the love of self---putting myself in the center---not looking past my nose---

I cut--out came my fear of tomorrow---

On and on--I yanked, jerked, cut,and pulled---an everyday process to keep the ground cover  or sin in my life at bay so my tree can grow, produce fruit and bloom where He has planted me.  A never ending process for fallen man---keeping the tares, snares and ground cover from choking the life out of His beautiful garden---created in His very image. The secret to a beautiful garden is  --cultivating the good and cutting out the bad---always while on your knees.

MATTHEW 13:24-25