Dear Sadie,
I have never been one with a "green thumb" as they say. Is this something you're born with? Every plant I've ever owned has died, and fairly quickly at that, undoubtedly because of me. There's so many things you have to know...how much water, how much sunlight, how often they need to be watered. Actually, that's not very many things to learn, now is it? So why can't I keep them alive? Is there some green thumb gene I'm missing out on? But somehow, the ability has to be down in me somewhere. I think it has more to do with love (you have to first want the thing to survive because you like it), self-discipline, and attentiveness. Because really, couldn't we all find out the basic needs of a plant, and simply follow through with them? Or is there some magical quality we need to possess? I happen to think it is more that a plant just needs someone who cares enough to attend to its needs, and then determines in his/her mind to set aside the time to tend to it. That'd probably be my best guess at the answer.
Well, today I'm kicking this idea that I can't be any good with gardening, ever, to the curb. It's official. Now that we have made the decision to stay in this house, the house we love and have been so blessed to possess, I decided today, "No more excuses!" I'm going to take care of the landscape around the house, bed by bed, weed by weed. And so today I tackled the only real flower bed we have in the front yard. While Titus was sleeping, I raked and soaked this dirt bed, preparing to yank all of the pesky Bermuda grass that has taken over the area. After discovering a massive colony of ants hiding in there, I waited until a few thousand escaped, and went to pulling weeds, brushing them off my hands, feet and legs as I went. After playing with the hose and sliding down our "water slide" for a couple of hours, you went down for a much-needed nap with no fuss, and I woke Titus up from his nap to come play outside with me (he slept a good three hours!). I showed him all the green things we were pulling out, trying to get him to attempt to help Mommy. It felt so good to work hard, especially at something so very dirty! And Georgia clay is nasty, too! It occurred to me, what if I was afraid to get dirty? I'd never get this done! Ants and all, I kept at it. Titus, after getting his hands completely oranged-out, understandably decided it was a little too messy for a one year-old, so he went to playing with the shovel and talking about trucks driving by. He enjoyed just being outdoors with Mommy and needed no entertainment or task. I just kept thinking about how good it felt to put a little sweat into getting this flower bed prepared for some fresh new flowers. I've done a little bit of this before in previous years, but this season just felt different. It felt as though I was investing more heart and soul. As tedious as it was, and as dirty as it was, it felt good to accomplish something messy and laborious. With clay staining my clothes, and mud up under my fingernails, I knew the end result would be well worth the work, and I was thankful for the muscle work out I was getting, too!
I was just reminded today that just as with anything in life, it pays to be willing to get dirty at times. If we are not careful, laziness can get a grip on us, and we suddenly find ourselves not wanting to get uncomfortable for any reason at all. If being comfortable is all we are after, then we miss out on the honorable and deeply rewarding parts of life. It's a pointless fight, striving to take it easy. I'd rather work hard and see the growth. This is especially true for me in my relationship with God, and working to accomplish His will in my life. It's much like tending a garden. He empowers us to do it all, first above all else. We must remember that; His Spirit is in our spirit, joined together, and in Him we live and move and have our being. (Acts 17:28) Then along with that, we cooperate with the Holy Spirit to do the works the Father gives us, speaking and acting in ways that match up with His story and His glory. Then if we are seeking His kingdom in this way, it often gets messy. We don't know what we're doing half the time. It takes faith to step blindly into new situations and new territories of responsibility. Often we are even called to look foolish to accomplish His purpose, Him getting the glory. But through it all, it is a rewarding experience to give your efforts to the Lord's work. The only way we can truly know this though, is to dive in and be willing to get dirty ourselves. That's when the flowers begin to bloom.
Love,
Mommy
P.S. While plants may not be my forte, what about children? What color thumb are they? How about pink! :)
"The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor." 1 Corinthians 3:8
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