Little Gardener

I thoroughly enjoy gardening, landscaping and yard work.  I get great satisfaction out of pushing a lawn mower and watching the grass get shorter, pulling weeds, planting flowers, trees or whatever, watering and edging along the fence line.  My hubby happens to enjoy these things also so it is no surprise that our little one has taken notice of her parent's love for the yard.  If given the chance she'll gladly get her little hands dirty to help me plant some flowers, pull weeks (which usually ends up being a chunk of our lawn), or water the plants (which usually entails soaking me unexpectedly...not so fun).  She is such a great little helper and I think she's going to be a yard lover just like her Mommy and Daddy.

   I hope I can teach my little girl that in the same way that we tend to and care for our flowers and plants that we need to tend to and care for our spirit.  I hope I can teach her that praying and reading her bible is like watering a thirsty flower and it will refresh her and give her strength.  I hope I can show her through example that in the same way we pull the weeds in our garden that try to hinder the plants growth, we need to pull the weeds in our lives that hinder our growth and spiritual health.  I hope that I can teach her to pull weeds of fear.  Pull weeds of hatred.  Pull weeds of gossip, envy and strife.  I hope I can teach her to pull weeds of pride and of shame to make room for the fruits of the spirit to grow and thrive in her.  It is not easy to hold on to these virtues or on to faith at times.  The weeds are always popping up, the dry seasons come, the storms beat down and the pests attack.  When those times come for my little one, I hope she will remember that she is never alone.   The gardener will always be there to protect and strengthen her.  The gardener never gives up on His garden and under his care all things thrive.  Jesus.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Galations 5:22-23 

"For as the earth brings forth its bud, as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations." Isaiah 61:11(NKJV)