planting the garden...
Good Monday morning! Yesterday was an exciting day. Miracles happened all over the country and I want to share just a couple with you that I know of. In Spokane, a large number of people came to proclaim Christ as Lord and Savior; a greater number were baptized. A small church in Ohio that I've been blessed to attend had 86 people at their Easter service. When I was there last, there were fewer than two dozen at the worship service. Three of those came to know Christ yesterday. I'm always excited to hear news like this. In our own church, a family transferred their membership back and another couple spontaneously joined the church during the service! I love it that our Pastor is spontaneous and it was truly a blessing to be in church yesterday. I hope many of you had a chance to experience your own blessing of the day and reconnect with the Lord.
Yeah, I know that's not what you wanted to read. You want to know about the comments I made on Saturday and as far as I understand, that's the plan. I called her on Thursday and asked her what she thought about coming home. On Friday, she decided she would. There's a timetable and a lot can happen between now and then. I think the best things I can say about it is what I've already said. A while back, I wrote a post titled "That Was Yesterday" and I want to share it with you again, especially my friends. I hope that Wendi takes the time to read this and share it with her friends that don't read my blog as well.
I'm planting a garden. We usually do one every year, but this year's will be different. Why? Because we have an addition to the family and I think Wendi would enjoy making her own baby food. The garden will be bigger than ever. I'm sure there are people in need we can share the fruits of our labor with, as well. We have the space, so there's no reason not to plant every inch we can with something to eat, something to share.
As I was thinking about planting the garden this year, I realized the parallels between gardening and relationships. As Wendi and I renew our relationship it's going to be like starting a garden. The seeds have been planted separately and are starting to sprout. We're both growing like seedlings, me in my house, she in hers. When the time is right, those seedlings will need to be transplanted into the garden here. Once transplanted, they will need to be tended to with loving care, gently weeded, fertilized, and watered. They will need plenty of sunshine and warmth to grow. They'll have to be planted deep and the roots given plenty of space to grow.
I've learned a lot about gardening this last year. You reap what you sow. A garden needs lots of work and attention. When you don't give it that, weeds that you don't want can come in and choke out the beneficial plants. You can't just plant it and forget it, because while weeds grow freely, the things that benefit us need attention. Treated properly, a garden can offer a bountiful harvest. Ignored, and it's just a patch of weeds in an otherwise useful plot of ground.
Often, as I write the blog, concepts come to me, as this one did today. I see now why comparisons about seeds and growing things are used in the Bible. As I thought about these things today those words just took on new meaning.
What Wendi and I will need for our relationship to grow is this: Light, which comes from God. With his blessings on our relationship, He will provide the sunshine necessary for us to grow. Fertilizer, which comes in the form of support of our friends and families and counseling. There can't be any sides taken. I don't need you to be on my "side", and I'd ask Wendi's friends not to take her "side". If we can accept forgiveness from the other, it's my hope and prayer that you can as well. Our plot is already overgrown with weeds and we'll need all the help we can get to grow. Moisture, which comes from Jesus. He is the "living water", and our new garden will need plenty of His attention. The seedlings we'll try to transplant into our garden are fragile.
What we don't need is weeds. We have enough of them. Our task will be hard enough without others making it harder for us. If you can't be an encouragement, I'd ask that you not be a weed, either. Hateful, hurtful things have been said all the way around. I've experienced them and so has Wendi. Please keep this in mind.
Our "garden" may be like planting strawberries. We plant this year in hope of a crop next year. It's hard to tell. Only time will, but if we keep focused on the things that are important to us, those things will bear fruit, with much love, tenderness, and a focus on the things that are important.
As for the "real" garden, I need the weather to cooperate. I gotta plant extra things that can be used to make baby food (carrots, peas, and other things that should already be in the ground right now). Well, I'm off to start work on the tractor. Have a blessed day.
Yeah, I know that's not what you wanted to read. You want to know about the comments I made on Saturday and as far as I understand, that's the plan. I called her on Thursday and asked her what she thought about coming home. On Friday, she decided she would. There's a timetable and a lot can happen between now and then. I think the best things I can say about it is what I've already said. A while back, I wrote a post titled "That Was Yesterday" and I want to share it with you again, especially my friends. I hope that Wendi takes the time to read this and share it with her friends that don't read my blog as well.
I'm planting a garden. We usually do one every year, but this year's will be different. Why? Because we have an addition to the family and I think Wendi would enjoy making her own baby food. The garden will be bigger than ever. I'm sure there are people in need we can share the fruits of our labor with, as well. We have the space, so there's no reason not to plant every inch we can with something to eat, something to share.
As I was thinking about planting the garden this year, I realized the parallels between gardening and relationships. As Wendi and I renew our relationship it's going to be like starting a garden. The seeds have been planted separately and are starting to sprout. We're both growing like seedlings, me in my house, she in hers. When the time is right, those seedlings will need to be transplanted into the garden here. Once transplanted, they will need to be tended to with loving care, gently weeded, fertilized, and watered. They will need plenty of sunshine and warmth to grow. They'll have to be planted deep and the roots given plenty of space to grow.
I've learned a lot about gardening this last year. You reap what you sow. A garden needs lots of work and attention. When you don't give it that, weeds that you don't want can come in and choke out the beneficial plants. You can't just plant it and forget it, because while weeds grow freely, the things that benefit us need attention. Treated properly, a garden can offer a bountiful harvest. Ignored, and it's just a patch of weeds in an otherwise useful plot of ground.
Often, as I write the blog, concepts come to me, as this one did today. I see now why comparisons about seeds and growing things are used in the Bible. As I thought about these things today those words just took on new meaning.
What Wendi and I will need for our relationship to grow is this: Light, which comes from God. With his blessings on our relationship, He will provide the sunshine necessary for us to grow. Fertilizer, which comes in the form of support of our friends and families and counseling. There can't be any sides taken. I don't need you to be on my "side", and I'd ask Wendi's friends not to take her "side". If we can accept forgiveness from the other, it's my hope and prayer that you can as well. Our plot is already overgrown with weeds and we'll need all the help we can get to grow. Moisture, which comes from Jesus. He is the "living water", and our new garden will need plenty of His attention. The seedlings we'll try to transplant into our garden are fragile.
What we don't need is weeds. We have enough of them. Our task will be hard enough without others making it harder for us. If you can't be an encouragement, I'd ask that you not be a weed, either. Hateful, hurtful things have been said all the way around. I've experienced them and so has Wendi. Please keep this in mind.
Our "garden" may be like planting strawberries. We plant this year in hope of a crop next year. It's hard to tell. Only time will, but if we keep focused on the things that are important to us, those things will bear fruit, with much love, tenderness, and a focus on the things that are important.
As for the "real" garden, I need the weather to cooperate. I gotta plant extra things that can be used to make baby food (carrots, peas, and other things that should already be in the ground right now). Well, I'm off to start work on the tractor. Have a blessed day.
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