GARDENING IS NOT MY FORTE
June 07, 2009 13:54
When I was a kid, I could grow anything. I grew sweet potatoes in a cup of water. I grew things from seed. I brought seemingly dead plants my mother had “killed” back to life.
And then I grew up. And had a job. And got married. And had a couple of kids. And my gardening skills went south. I just didn’t have the time to give plants the attention they needed. I’m not referring to talking to them or fertilizing them. Mostly I’m talking about giving them the most basic care. Like water.
Apparently plants need to be watered more than once a month.
Mike noticed my brown thumb and yet he saw me buy more houseplants from nurseries. And then he saw me throw out dead plants. And then he saw me buy more houseplants from nurseries. And then he saw me throw out dead plants (and repeat) I loved having the plants, I just didn’t have the patience or time to properly care for them.
At one point in our marriage when he was working bookoo hours a week, and I was a stay at home mom with a toddler and a baby, he asked me a question. He said, “How come you can’t keep a single plant alive?”
I thought for a moment, took a deep breath, and in my mostsarcastic humble voice I said to him, “Honey, you have a choice to make here. I can either keep the houseplants alive or I can keep the children alive.”
Pretty good one, eh?
As evidenced by the kids still being here and me not being in trouble for child neglect, it’s obvious he chose the children. Which is good, because the children are far more valuable to me than that Boston fern or the peace lily.
And now for my very profound gardening metaphor.....a side of me many of my loyal readers may not have known existed in this smart-alek, fun loving, crazy girl.......
Life, and marriage, and child rearing are a lot like gardening.
I guess I can’t take all the credit for the profoundness, because it was my friend Tina who put the thought in my head when she sent me a message and said,
He’s pruning me, eh? He’s pruning out all the unnecessary dead parts of me. Because after all, trees that are not pruned well don’t produce fruit or at least they don’t produce good fruit. I know, our apple trees in London didn’t get pruned for the 10 years we lived there and they never produced anything worth eating. So apparently, God is using some recent events to shape me, prune me, and help me bear fruit. Which totally goes along with the following Scriptures:
Don’t get me wrong. Pruning can hurt, but I can rely on this Scripture:
So many many years ago, when I was killing plants left and right, I had no idea that now, as a middle-aged wife and mom, I’d be looking back on it and pondering its profoundness. I was asked, point blank, why I was killing plants so frequently. And I answered with a reply that showed where my heart and life were......with my family.
Over the course of the years, I pretty much stopped buying plants. So I didn’t have to choose between plant care and kid care.
But I also lost sight of the other choices I was making in life. Turns out, I was choosing to put many things before what was really important--God, Mike, and the kids.
I’m spending time caring for my relationship with God. Long overdue. Musty and dusty. But the good news is, God loves me and no matter how much I disappoint him, he will always take me back. I’m finding when I put God above everything else, I’m happy.
I’m spending time caring for my husband. Sure, I’ve always cared for him. Did his laundry. Cooked his meals. Cleaned out his car. But I mean truly caring for him. Putting him above everything here on this earth. Treating him like the treasure he is. Respecting him. Knowing him. Communicating with him. Loving him. (edited out how else I can care for him.....this is a family blog after all) (wink) I’m finding out when I put Mike above everything (except God), I’m happy. And actually, more happy than I have been in years. And more in love with my husband than I have ever been
I’m spending time caring for my kids. I’ve been caring for them since they were babies. But I mean truly caring about them and how they turn out as little people. I’m running out of time. I’ve got so much to teach them and the years are not endless. They need to know how much God loves them. And their mom and dad love them. And a whole heck of a lot about human psychology and relationships. I’m finding the more time I spend with them, the more time they want to spend with me. Which gives me a lot more chances to teach them.
That is not to say this blog is going away. I’m not sure what its focus will be. I’m still hashing out the details with God and with Mike. I know someday my story will be told. My story has to be told in order to glorify God and help others who find themselves in similar situations.
Because I think that’s what God would want me to do. I’m just waiting on him to say the word and guide me.
And then I grew up. And had a job. And got married. And had a couple of kids. And my gardening skills went south. I just didn’t have the time to give plants the attention they needed. I’m not referring to talking to them or fertilizing them. Mostly I’m talking about giving them the most basic care. Like water.
Apparently plants need to be watered more than once a month.
Mike noticed my brown thumb and yet he saw me buy more houseplants from nurseries. And then he saw me throw out dead plants. And then he saw me buy more houseplants from nurseries. And then he saw me throw out dead plants (and repeat) I loved having the plants, I just didn’t have the patience or time to properly care for them.
At one point in our marriage when he was working bookoo hours a week, and I was a stay at home mom with a toddler and a baby, he asked me a question. He said, “How come you can’t keep a single plant alive?”
I thought for a moment, took a deep breath, and in my most
Pretty good one, eh?
As evidenced by the kids still being here and me not being in trouble for child neglect, it’s obvious he chose the children. Which is good, because the children are far more valuable to me than that Boston fern or the peace lily.
And now for my very profound gardening metaphor.....a side of me many of my loyal readers may not have known existed in this smart-alek, fun loving, crazy girl.......
Life, and marriage, and child rearing are a lot like gardening.
I guess I can’t take all the credit for the profoundness, because it was my friend Tina who put the thought in my head when she sent me a message and said,
“And God is going to do mighty things in your family - He is pruning you right now (and boy does that hurt) so that you can grow and be a beautiful, life-changing, testimony to His grace.”
He’s pruning me, eh? He’s pruning out all the unnecessary dead parts of me. Because after all, trees that are not pruned well don’t produce fruit or at least they don’t produce good fruit. I know, our apple trees in London didn’t get pruned for the 10 years we lived there and they never produced anything worth eating. So apparently, God is using some recent events to shape me, prune me, and help me bear fruit. Which totally goes along with the following Scriptures:
Phillipians 1:6 .....that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Romans 2:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Don’t get me wrong. Pruning can hurt, but I can rely on this Scripture:
Romans 5:3-5 .....but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
So many many years ago, when I was killing plants left and right, I had no idea that now, as a middle-aged wife and mom, I’d be looking back on it and pondering its profoundness. I was asked, point blank, why I was killing plants so frequently. And I answered with a reply that showed where my heart and life were......with my family.
Over the course of the years, I pretty much stopped buying plants. So I didn’t have to choose between plant care and kid care.
But I also lost sight of the other choices I was making in life. Turns out, I was choosing to put many things before what was really important--God, Mike, and the kids.
I’m spending time caring for my relationship with God. Long overdue. Musty and dusty. But the good news is, God loves me and no matter how much I disappoint him, he will always take me back. I’m finding when I put God above everything else, I’m happy.
I’m spending time caring for my husband. Sure, I’ve always cared for him. Did his laundry. Cooked his meals. Cleaned out his car. But I mean truly caring for him. Putting him above everything here on this earth. Treating him like the treasure he is. Respecting him. Knowing him. Communicating with him. Loving him. (edited out how else I can care for him.....this is a family blog after all) (wink) I’m finding out when I put Mike above everything (except God), I’m happy. And actually, more happy than I have been in years. And more in love with my husband than I have ever been
I’m spending time caring for my kids. I’ve been caring for them since they were babies. But I mean truly caring about them and how they turn out as little people. I’m running out of time. I’ve got so much to teach them and the years are not endless. They need to know how much God loves them. And their mom and dad love them. And a whole heck of a lot about human psychology and relationships. I’m finding the more time I spend with them, the more time they want to spend with me. Which gives me a lot more chances to teach them.
That is not to say this blog is going away. I’m not sure what its focus will be. I’m still hashing out the details with God and with Mike. I know someday my story will be told. My story has to be told in order to glorify God and help others who find themselves in similar situations.
Because I think that’s what God would want me to do. I’m just waiting on him to say the word and guide me.
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