I seem to find life lessons everywhere I go, and because I think in pictures, it is quite often the visual things that seem to speak to me the most.
Yesterday, while out in the pouring rain in the garden, I squealed in delight when I found the biggest, juiciest, healthiest looking worm in the soil that I had just dug up. I was so excited that I immediately picked it up and ran over to my husband to show him how lovely it was... as I held it up (so the light of the sun would shine through it), I told my husband to look as closely as he could and he would be able to see the new dirt that this healthy and fat worm was making inside itself... and where it came out at the end... my husband just kind of nodded and didn't really look.
I love the Life that is happening in the garden, the visual parts are really beginning to show, the Elephant Ears have already bloomed pink and the Wysteria is full on yellow with the purple Heather exuberant in its display right beside it. Buds are absolutely everywhere... if my garden was a symphony, my neighbours might be telling me to turn down the volume! I love it!
So what is the life lesson that I learned from that fat and healthy worm?
That even in the depths of the darkness of the earth... Music plays.
A few weeks ago, while in another city, I was enjoying the somewhat lengthy walk back to my car, on an exceptional crisp and sunny day. As I made my way up the sidewalk on a hill, I glanced over and saw an amazing looking tree, and at its base was this lovely display of cheery yellow crocuses... and nestled beside these cheery, yellow crocuses... was an equally thriving clump of weeds. 
The life analogy was obviously apparent, yet, the thing that was really holding my attention was the actual tree. It was perhaps the most gnarly looking tree that I have ever seen! It was twisted and misshaped, weather beaten and had obviously been vigorously pruned back many, many times over the years. As my musings began, I took some pictures and as I made my way towards my car, and eventually home... I thought about the life lesson that I was learning from this tree... and from what lay at its feet.Within the culture that we live in, there is the underlying, if not blatantly overt, philosophy that whatever is visually lovely and pleasing is somehow more valuable, more desirable than that which is its antithesis... yet all that glitters is not gold... and it is most often, within the gnarliest of vessels, that the true treasure lies!
I am almost sure, that this particular tree, has seen an abundance of weeds and flowers laid at its feet over its many years, just as we also have had, on our own particular life's journey, many a weed and flower laid or planted at our feet, whether invited or not.
If you were to speak with any botanist, they would probably tell you that "There are no weeds - just unwanted plants", and it's true! Each year when I plan out my garden, it never even crosses my mind to plant a few weeds, they just come unbidden, and my thoughts towards them are unwelcome thoughts... they are to be eliminated or removed so that the plantings that I do want in my garden can thrive and not be choked out. Yet, there is a purpose for all things, and many times an unwanted planting in my garden makes me a better and more attentive gardener!
It would take far too long to tell you the life lessons that I learned that day, however, I can tell you that one lesson learned is that no matter what was laid, side by side, at its feet, the trees' roots went Deeper than its surroundings or circumstances! It has continued to do what it was created to do despite the weeds and despite the flowers... it has grown in strength and in stature and in favour - after all, it has only been pruned year in and year out because it is of great value and gives an abundance of blooms year after year.
Honestly, that tree did not teach me any life lessons, it is the Creator of the tree that has used His creation to speak into my life.
One of my favourite verses is Isaiah 61:3. If just plain living has ever left you feeling weather-beaten, twisted, gnarled or misshapen, remember another 'tree', the tree of Calvary, that 'old rugged cross', and The One Who hung upon it for you; let your roots go Deep and drink in His sustaining strength and peace...
"That you might be called a tree of righteousness,
I am almost sure, that this particular tree, has seen an abundance of weeds and flowers laid at its feet over its many years, just as we also have had, on our own particular life's journey, many a weed and flower laid or planted at our feet, whether invited or not.
If you were to speak with any botanist, they would probably tell you that "There are no weeds - just unwanted plants", and it's true! Each year when I plan out my garden, it never even crosses my mind to plant a few weeds, they just come unbidden, and my thoughts towards them are unwelcome thoughts... they are to be eliminated or removed so that the plantings that I do want in my garden can thrive and not be choked out. Yet, there is a purpose for all things, and many times an unwanted planting in my garden makes me a better and more attentive gardener!
It would take far too long to tell you the life lessons that I learned that day, however, I can tell you that one lesson learned is that no matter what was laid, side by side, at its feet, the trees' roots went Deeper than its surroundings or circumstances! It has continued to do what it was created to do despite the weeds and despite the flowers... it has grown in strength and in stature and in favour - after all, it has only been pruned year in and year out because it is of great value and gives an abundance of blooms year after year.
Honestly, that tree did not teach me any life lessons, it is the Creator of the tree that has used His creation to speak into my life.
One of my favourite verses is Isaiah 61:3. If just plain living has ever left you feeling weather-beaten, twisted, gnarled or misshapen, remember another 'tree', the tree of Calvary, that 'old rugged cross', and The One Who hung upon it for you; let your roots go Deep and drink in His sustaining strength and peace...
"That you might be called a tree of righteousness,
A planting of the Lord, for the display of His splendour."
2 comments:
Cathie, thanks for sharing this with us today. It made me stop and reflect on how busy our lives are. We seem to have so much to do but a blog like yours makes me stop and remember what is really important and reminds me to slow down and talk God and both thank Him and ask Him what it is that He wants me to do today.
HELP...where are the pictures of the new addition? I've been looking everywhere. I even drove by.....and nope, not there either!!!!
Post a Comment