Thursday, June 14, 2013

Dear God,

Today I learned a life lesson from the large flower garden my neighbor and I created together.  We designed and planted the old fashioned garden as a first step toward creating a living sanctuary on our land.  We both have a deep sense of your spirit, a love for Maine, an appreciation of flowers, shrubs, and trees, and a desire to work together for you and our neighbors, even the stranger who will visit someday and for all those who will live on the land in the future.

Because I spent weeks working in the woods to create a spiritual path, I neglected our common garden.  It wasn't bad; it's just that the weeds were happily growing particularly on my side of the garden.  The edge was looking ragged. So I tackled it.  As I bent down and under roses, lilies, and all sorts of plants I do not know by name, I yanked weeds, pruned roses, dug out moss, and cleaned.  Then I started edging, lifting the weeds and soil back, shaking them to maintain the soil, then spreading the soil smooth.  As I slowly moved round and round, everything began to look beautiful.  Each plant stood out showing its unique beauty.  Everything just looked bright and clean.  I could see the love we put into it.  By the time I was done (we still need to mulch the entire area) I had a rich awareness of what can happen when a garden is tenderly cared for.

The life lesson came when I realized how much more I need to care for my own person, my faith, and my body, mind, and spirit.  When I neglect myself and fail to rid myself of unwanted debris like selfishness, sin, poor attitude, arrogance, and impatience, I don't look very good either.  In fact when people see me, they can peer through the outer layer and see all that is not good within.  But when I clear and clean the clutter in my spirit and soul and make plenty of space for my faith to grow and sweeten, I look and act differently.  Others around me may even see a speck of you in me.

Grow my garden
of faith,
dear Lord,
grow your love
in me.
Remind me
to keep
my garden
clean and clear
so I
always have
a view
of you.
Forgive my neglect,
I pray.
Keep me
on my knees,
I pray.

Love, Andrea