Such a wonderful feeling of satisfaction! Fresh air, physical exercise, allowing yourself a creative outlet while you create beauty. Ahhh ..... gardening!Here's what I felt like Sunday morning:
Yeah! Did we forget that we're not as young and agile as we used to be? Did we remind ourselves to begin slowly with perhaps an hour at a time? Did we anticipate the possibility of a few aches and pains and have an epsom salts bath and a couple of ibprophen later? Nooooo!
Still, part of my ongoing search for wisdom in aging is NOT to allow myself to become inactive. I must remember the old guy from Monty Python's Holy Grail when they come to collect the plague victims who cries out "But I'm not dead yet!" Use it or lose it!
Every time I look at my garden, ideas blossom and I see possibility! I've this lovely little patch of wilderness at the side of my house with a little brook that runs through. Right now, it's a mess of fallen leaves & tree limbs & even refuse. The trees need to be thinned, top soil needs to be brought in, paths need to be laid. It's a life-times work. But this little patch of earth begs to be, if not tamed, then attended to! Attended to in a tender, loving, gentle, nuturing, patient, long-suffering sort-of way. Why, there's 3 of the fruits of the Spirit right there! I know that gardening is close to God's heart!
James 1: 4a says "But let patience have her perfect work".
Have you read "The Shack". There's a wonderful illustration of how God through the Holy Spirit feels about the garden inside of each of us. He doesn't want to tame us, but simply to draw out the beauty in each of us. And He does so tenderly, lovingly, patiently, nurturing the seeds that He's planted. That's what I want to do with my garden. And just like God with me, I've a long way to go yet!!
Here's what I hope to achieve someday:
Here's what God wants to achieve in me:
3 comments:
I think I read that you are nearer to God in a garden than any other place on earth. I did read the Shack and loved it. I know I feel every effort I put forth once I can get outside in the spring. I'm hoping that it will become easier the more I do. My old body didn't get much exercise at all over the winter. Except when I was shoveling snow of course. I love the plans you have .
'On Ya'-ma
I can sure identify with this post. Even though I thought I was in pretty good shape and had been working out, I still got a bad case of sore neck and back from my first few gardening days. I think someone should write a book about exercises for gardeners. :-)
Your dream garden sounds lovely. Have you ever read the book "A Gardener Looks at the Fruits of the Spirit" by W. Phillip Keller?
I love those photos of your dream garden. We spent our Saturday working on our yard. Now we just go look at and admire what was done.
Thanks for your comments on Healthy Diva's. I am only hosting Divas for the month of April. If you have something you would love to share you can e-mail me at simplyafamily@live.com I will post it, until April runs out! Then some one else is taking over.
I really need to get off the junk food roller coaster.
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