Listening to a podcast that covers the bible in a year, I am shocked! In Genesis there are relationships and abuse by people that is awful, even the Godly people! Noted: God’s blessing is steadfast and can be trusted even when behavior is atrociously ugly. The message I got is that faithfulness, seeking God’s blessing, does comfort and is beneficial, in many ways. Love prevails. Today I give my fears and glory to God.
Love of God and all of his creations brings happiness. Yet from my childhood into the present I have suffered family, friend’s, employer’s, and stranger’s spiteful and toxic behavior. Haven’t we all? “People are no damn good” my mom would quote one of her dear friends.
Mom nourished love of God and nature. All activities pursued with God’s blessing take me to a place of respite from life’s struggles. Leave shortcomings, criticisms and hurtful actions at the back door. In this chapter of my life, I want to focus on good things and downplay the shenan-sabotage-igans. Yes, there is crap that goes on.
Fears and Glory to God in All Activities
We nourish one another, while sometimes harming each other, like the plants in the garden. Breathing carbon dioxide and oxygen, a reciprocal beneficial atmospheric relationship happens between plants and humans. Sometime this relationship is hurtful. A child runs their hand up the stem roughly. The plant survives. The weedwacker my chop the plant down and it may grow back.
Plants take what they need and they give back freely. Beefsteak is a pretty “weed” in the basil family with purple ruffled leaves. It is very aggressive, self-seeding new sprouts everywhere. I can easily pull it out by the handful if I first let it grow some. Being present and attentive, I noticed this year that it conditioned the soil perfectly, loosening and nourishing it. Thank you. Now it is happy to lay and breakdown on my compost pile for future nourishment for other plants, that will nourish family and friends. Thank you again. This is not a weed. It is my garden assistant.
There are tribulations in daily life. During these distractions my fear escalates and worry ruminates. I need to be like the plant and revive myself when I get chopped down, restore my soul and spend time in love sending out new roots and loosening compacted soil.
Lessons Learned in the Garden
Alternanthera is a hero, it survives and thrives. It overwinters indoors. Cuttings root like plantabbits. The foliage ranges from a beautiful forest green to deep crimson. The two original Mother plants (impulse purchase from Kroger for less than $2 each) were deep in a flower box all summer 2021 and lost leaves along the stem, only a mop top remained. The stems were such a beautiful red that I kept the plants, overwintered them indoors, and then in the Spring put them on display on the front porch. The idea of cuttings “planted” in my mind as stems fell over. Those cuttings rooted quickly and became full bushy, colorful plants in the garden. I love a disaster when I am open and something beautiful and new emerges.
Coleus? Ditto all of the above. Amaranth has a whole different love story. This summer filled with new plant relationships. Noted: successes and failures of this year well-learned may improve the garden next year, for delightful results. I am learning to be present to connect positively with family, friends and strangers, and … plants, and send fears and glory to God to create beauty in all relationships and activities. Take time to write down lessons learned and make purposeful action plans.
