I came into the garden early this morning. As I set out to accomplish my tasks and enjoy the day I was met with the usual challenges. The usual challenges were not ready for me! I however, saw them and carried on. I stood through each uncomfortable moment and they passed. As they passed the reality that I am no longer the same hit, and it is sweet. I overcame and I am still standing! A quiet day of reflecting and a new me! God is good, the sun is sweet and Life is good!!!
Tag: Encouragement
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Wade in the River
Today I have gone down to the river to swim. There has been a long spell of learning this morning and growing. It has taken hard and dedicated work. I took time to sit and absorb all I learned, and now it is time to wade into the river and swim. I welcome the refreshment. It is important to continue on in the learning and standing my ground, but refreshment and rest are just as key! Friend I hope you live today! I have, and I pray you grow too!!!
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Pruning Time!
It is a day for pruning the trees in my garden. I am up bright and early looking around for branches that can be pruned to produce more fruit, branches that are diseased and branches that may be not producing any fruit or are dead. I think I will wait for the head gardener to get here and lead the way. I have pruned before, but this time is extra important and needs to be done in wisdom and with intentionality.
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Center Garden
Today I am beginning with watering the new apple trees in the previously neglected space. They have new tender shoots! Things are now in order and established and I can tend to the surrounding areas of my whole garden. It has been a very needed time to put into this center garden, this is what I will call it going forward. Even yesterday I was unsure if things were sorted in it. As time has progressed today and I am back and reflecting, I see that the work is done and I now only need to tend to it regularly, like the whole garden. I guess it was just the perfect time in my life to venture into the inner part of my garden, find it in much disrepair and then sort it out. I had forgotten about it, and to be honest, there was some of it I was not even aware of being in existence! However shocking this may be, it was cruelty, pain and control that shrouded it from my sight. Now I can learn, discover and grow in all areas of my life. I pray your joy is full today friend. I hope you invite the Master gardener into your plot…He has such a way with our lives and causing them to bloom!!! I am currently looking back at him and we are sharing a knowing smile. For it is Him and I alone that know what a miracle my garden has become!!!
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A Good Day
Good days don’t always start out without difficulties. Today has been filled with difficulties in my garden. Do you ever wonder when the difficulties will take that good turn in a day, or if they will? I didn’t stop to think about it earlier, I definitely would have been wondering this if I had had a moment. And then I remember today is mother’s day and it is a good day to be a mother. It isn’t always an easy day, this day we celebrate, but it is a good day. And those troubles that keep coming, well, they are resolving. Not by my desire or might or intellect, but my trust and yielding to God’s way for my garden and those in it. It might not be easy, but it is so good! I bless you on this day, a mother’s blessing! The breeze has begun to blow and I sense my Lord wanting to enter and I must away with him awhile…until tomorrow friend!!!
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Hard graft and Bitterness
Hard graft and bitterness is how my day began in this garden. There was some sweetness added in as the day progressed and then pow, more bitterness. And then I found that it was about me. It was about me growing stronger in my boundaries. It was about me facing the truth, maybe another is to blame, but it isn’t about them. I must not hold to any people pleasing ways and must grow. I have tolerated too much for too long and taught the improper treatment of myself, but I did the best to rise above out of narcissistic abuse and my own codependency. I found it was about me, and not another. So I am growing and I yield to God’s working these out of my life. Standing looking at this garden at the end of the day, the work is worth it and I chose the work, the surprises, the pain, and the beauty!
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Improvise!
There was a task in my garden that I was working on today. I ran into problems with my equipment. No matter what I did, the fix did not come. I did not feel at peace with just hanging up the hat today either, so I rested and prayed. In the end I had to improvise to accomplish the task. Rest, guidance, perseverance and one step forward in faith, this worked for me today. In the garden of your life, I pray you find the insight you need to walk into all that God has for you! Happy Gardening friend!!
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Unrecognizable
Tonight, I am sitting watching the sun set over my garden. The planting will need to be watched over. I will need to keep out pests and weed it from time to time. Not just that previously neglected patch, but the whole thing. I have been learning new skills each day and I am in awe of the work God is doing in me. I am growing more unrecognizable every day, and I like that!
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More Surprises!
I have been planting seeds the last couple of days, in the spot that had been neglected and in another’s garden. I am very happy that I have gotten to this stage. There was a bit of an interruption, and it was rough. I found after clearing the land and getting the boundaries reestablished that one of the main corner trees had to come down. Oh my, at any other time I think the removal of this tree could have broke me, but it happened so suddenly and when the rot was exposed I realized I had prepared for this removal, eventually. With not much thought we pulled that tree out, and then the next day my emotions had to catch up. I almost regretted it, but I gave a few more minutes to the distress and loss and quickly moved past into the new. Now this tree was a part of the boundary and a staple, but to my surprise I found the head gardener had been working on the boundary behind the scenes to help me. Jesus is so good. Everything is ok and another new stage of life and this garden have begun and I am back to planting! So many twists and turns, and it is all progress!
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Healing My Garden
Yesterday, I reestablished the fence and borders in a neglected part of my garden. Now it is time to till the soil of that cleared ground. Today I am focused on removing the stones and leveling the ground. The gentle rain that fell through the night has revealed the uneven places and bitter places (stones). These both are a natural part of the process, but not to be the final outcome in my garden. Every step in order and at the proper time. And who knows, maybe tomorrow it will be time to sow! Lord help me on this step and the next too!!
Butterfly Vuela 