Debbie and I were working extra hard one summer to reclaim our back yard. We are working “tiredly” (I know the word is “tirelessly” but I’m trying to be honest here) to turn our yard into more of a large garden. We had a backyard wedding coming up and there was no time to waste.
At one point I counted over 100 trees of two-inch diameter or larger on our one acre. That is a lot of trees, too many it turns out for a healthy garden, so we have hired a series of arborists to make our favorite trees happier (who knew that hackberry trees don’t like to be touched by other trees?); healthier (who knew you can’t trim an oak tree until after June 15 due to some Minnesota blight issues?) and to lift the canopy (who knew butterflies flew in the tree tops?).
Now we can see clearly between any two points in our yard, many of which never had sunlight before. These newly lighted places are showing all kinds of new life. We were imagining a lush green carpet as I flung out handfuls of grass seed – but it wasn’t sweet soft grass we got. The grass seeds we plant are quickly over shadowed by all sorts of wild things that seem to appreciate the sun more than my grass seeds. Creeping Charlie and Buckthorn, two very invasive species, quickly took hold and we now spend a lot of time trying to control each of these weeds.
One day Debbie and I paused from our labors and looked down at yet another Creeping Charlie infestation. Debbie was leaning against her rake and I was leaning against a rake with a motor on it (cool!) and struck up a conversation about how the yard could be thought of as a reflection of our spiritual lives, and in some ways, our marriage. We try to make changes in our lives and often assume that good things will instantly follow without any further work on our part. Or, we believe that a good day of exercise at the gym means we have a healthy life style. Or, one good conversation about something of importance means our marital communication habits are right on target. Or, one good day of prayer and Bible reading means we are in perfect relationship with God. The truth is each day we need to make a conscious decision to eliminate the weeds in our life and cultivate the grasses, flowers and trees that will sustain our relationship with God and each other. This constant gardening isn’t easy but then we don’t have to do it alone either.
As we surveyed all that we had done and all that was yet to correct we also came to realize that many corners and niches of our yard (dare I say our hearts?) had been neglected. Sometimes we simply didn’t mow or cultivate and the weeds took over. Sometimes I didn’t pick up the sticks and leaves and the area quickly became unusable and a habitat for mosquitoes and black flies. I’m a great one for piling leaves and grass clippings in a heap and calling it something virtuous like “composting” when in reality it is more like neglectful laziness. I don’t think I specifically avoid or neglect God like I do my composting but I’m well aware that doing a little reading and journaling and calling it a complete relationship with God is far from the Truth.
As I write about my gardening lessons I cannot help thinking about my time with my friend Pat Tonkel, now doing her gardening in heaven. It seemed that every time I would stop by her home Pat was readily and willing to talk about her little gardens. I don’t know how much she really knew about gardening but she knew more than me. I remember her sweet smile but also the twinkle in her eye when she knew a secret about southern gardening that she was about to teach this northern boy. First of all she let me know that she could work in her garden year round and then she showed me flowers and plants that brought her happiness because she tended them on a regular basis. Sometimes she was talking about plants but sometimes she was talking about people.
Thanks, Pat, for showing me a world of gardening beyond what I could imagine. Thanks, God, for making your gardens so full of surprises and beautiful people.
In Christ,
Phil
