Monday, May 4, 2009

The Garden of our Hearts

I was gardening today. We know 2 people who are landscapers and they have inspired me. My neighbour gave me seeds yesterday letting me know that I need to get busy with them. I don't think she realizes how much of a green thumb I am NOT. :)

I decided to start by pulling weeds and cleaning out my flower beds. While I was digging the grass out of my flower beds I thought about how much God has to do that in our lives too. We have some beautiful grass that grows in one corner of the garden and as I looked at it, I decided it needed to be cut back and thinned out some before it took over the flowers growing nearby. Charlie wanted to know why I was cutting out grass that belonged in the garden and it gave me a golden opportunity to share with him that our bad feelings and thoughts are like that grass. It's okay to have your feelings and to experience them, but if we allow our anger, fear, and other emotions to overgrow into our good experiences and feelings, then we don't have a beautiful heart anymore. The same if I was to allow that grass to take over the garden. I wouldn't have a beautiful flower garden any longer, all I would have is a bed of tall grass. No matter how pretty it is, I like the flowers better than the grass.

I have been feeling out of sorts lately. I can chose to allow those feelings to overtake my heart and my actions, or I can change my state to breathe in freedom, patience and joy. Just making a move, taking an action, I have begun the process to give myself freedom to appreciate my life, the good and the bad. There will always be "grasses" that try to take over ever aspect of my heart, but I can chose to control it, to cut it back and keep it in the corner where it belongs. And, should it ever grow too fast out of my control, I can call in the Master Gardener and He will come care for me, cutting it out of my life and even removing it completely from my garden if I am willing for Him to do whatever is necessary for my own good.

I pray that you too will be willing to cut out the excess "grass" in your heart and, if it seems too much to bear, then I beg you to invite Jesus into your heart and your life to cut out those grasses for you.

God bless you today.

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