My mom was a speaker for christian women's conferences. One of the things she talked about was marriage.Her story of meeting my dad is almost like a fairy tale. I've written about it here.
When my mother met and married dad, she was head over heels in love. She shared that it was so perfect it was almost like the Garden of Eden, until...
there began to appear 'some weeds in the Garden of Eden'...
The human part of her knight in shining armour began to show in little ways, and her own little less-than-perfect traits would also appear from time to time.
There isn't a single one of us who have not had the experience of discovering 'weeds in Eden'... for some of us there have been times when the weeds may have threatened to overtake the whole garden!
It's a picture of life.
We deal with weeds on every level.
Our personal struggles, our families, friends, even our spiritual walk... there is always the threat of a weed or a lot of weeds.
What do we do with them?
I get impatient with the weeds in my outdoor garden, and just start yanking them up when the mood strikes. Lots of what comes up in my hand doesn't have the root, only the annoying part above the ground. In my impatience, the root still remains, just under the surface, and boy does it grow back in a hurry!
Best to deal with those pesky weeds and be sure they are removed with the whole root. For us in real life, that means choosing to cultivate the qualities that our lives must display because we are His children... love, patience, truthfulness, forgiveness, overlooking small annoyances, holding back a quick retort, praying instead of reacting, and on and on... pretty soon our gardens begin to look more like a real garden, not just a weed infested mess.
We all recognize the weeds... we also have the power to pull them out by the roots!
22 comments:
OH Weeds!!! They are such a good picture of how we are and the thing I have found out about weeds is that you have to pull the big ones sometimes before you can see the little ones. The little ones are so much harder to get out because I could see the big ones and the little weeds roots go so much deeper. Not to mention they really don't want to come out like the big ones, they break off and leave the root to grow back when I am looking at someone else's weeds.
Not tending my own garden.
I would have liked to have heard you Mom at a conference. I bet you are as good of a speaker. I know I sure have learned a lot from you since I have been visiting.
Have a lovely week.
I had to click to be sure I was thinking of the right story. I well remember the wonderful love story from Norway. (By the way, I was broken hearted to see recent events there.)
I loved what you said about how in our haste to remove, we leave the root and just pluck the top. That is so true and such good advice about true weeding.
Sonja,
You have created a wonderful word picture for us. I am thinking if I leave the weed plucking to God he will get all of it. The hard part is letting him pluck sometimes.
Hugs and blessings!
Sometimes it's easier to ignore the weeds then to pull them up. It's hard, but a necessary part of life.
Dear Sonja,
First of all; thank you for your heartfelt greeting. It did warm like a blanket in the cold.
To weeds; of course you are right. The problem is, I often have to weed myself. You know how hard it can be to see and to reach the ones on the back. I have to ask for help, and put my trust in the one I ask, be it God or my husband.
From Felisol, still struggling to become a decent human being.
P.S. About garden weed; it is truly easier to uproot by full moon (or daytime full moon). It is something delivered down the generations, and it still works.
Where were you hiding while I was pulling weeds the last two days with Benjamin and we were talking about this? Yes early and late in the day with this heat.
Oh this is great...at 31 years of marriage I am more than aware that many of our weeds could have and should have destroyed us...but the Holy Spirit would pour His anointing water on the weeds, and with conviction He would loosing the soil for their removal. Without it we wouldn't have made it...but I am still aware of the weeds and the little foxes that spoil the vines....thanks for this today, as I listen for conviction.
Weeding in the garden and the heart are necessary actions that have to be taken if we want to have a beautiful garden and as well as being a pleasing aroma to God.....Sometimes it's very hard to find the time but the rewards are great.....
Hugs and blessings to you Sonja
Such good advice on something we all
have to take time to do, whether we
want to or not. After the weeding is
finished I am always glad and as
Nancy said, the rewards are great.
Hugs,
Sandy
Wow you caught me unexpected, I was following along about the weeds thinking one thing, (yes I should be pulling weeds each day) but then you went on about the roots. Wonderful analogy, how right you are about pulling weeds without getting to the root. Great little word picture
Well, this one was for me today.
This really spoke to me...right where I am and with what I am dealing with.
I hope you expound on this theme of "weeds in Eden." That is such a powerful word picture. I really wish I had thought of it b/c I'd love to develop that myself. But I'll check back to see if you something more with it.
This is really a GREAT anaolgy and word picture. One thing I have finally realized for sure is that weeds are just NEVER ending. They are always there to be dealt with. It makes since to get to the root as otherwise they reappear sooo much quicker. And yet how right you are. The more and more we deal with them, the stronger and better our lives can be. I will be thinking on this one for a while. : ) Have a wonderful day! HUGS
yep, those weeds are amazing freaks of nature.
so much hardier than the beautiful plants and
flowers. impervious to the heat or cold. they
remind me of tolkien's man made beasts.
but the weapons we have are stronger. we just
have to use them. oh bother. sometimes it
seems like it takes too much energy, but when
we do, it is glorious.
up here in the mountains, the philosophy is to
let the 'weed' alone unless it is toxious or inva-
sive. i have learned to value the glorious yellow
fowers of the weed i pull in tulsa.
i have also learned to tolerate a few weeds in my
marriage but not many. unfortunately, the toxic
ones seem to grow in my MOUTH.
thanks for a great post and wonderful example.
Sonja - great story and analogy. Right now, my "weed whacker" is on the blink, but I am hopeful it will soon be humming again. :)
Blessings to you - Marsha
Dear Sonja,
I just became a member of your blog. I feel a kindred spirit of Christ-like love and encouragement here. Like you, I love gardening, and the analogy of removing all our "weeds" root and all is one that I've meditated on repeatedly.
I loved your little reflection on the Helms Bakery trucks. I too was raised in So. Cal. and remember with great fondness the Helms truck that used to come by our house, and once in a while we actually had money to buy something. I remember that donuts never tasted so good and nothing today matches them. The driver was an incredibly kind man that used to call every kid "Magoo."
What a great memory. Thank you.
Ruben
Precious soul,
I see my Knight in Shining Armor, RUBEN, has visited you!!!! Oh how I love this analogy with the weeds; I teach my students every year this analogy and how important it is to CULTIVATE good acts because we are like a garden and that which is BEAUTIFUL and rare must be watered and cared for; the weeds don't need a thing to grow...they just do because it is part of the nature of things....but they can be pulled up by the roots and dealt with...but we must KNOW they are there and watch for the slightest sign of them popping up...then ZAP THEM! Oh how true..to CULTIVATE, FEED and WATER DAILY our gardens of Eden....AND DEAR HEART, thank you for coming to visit with such kindness. I DO WANT TO WRITE professionally...wow, am I one audacious human being. But what I want to write, at least at the moment, is poetry. I think however that my love and TENDENCY to write in a poetic manner may influence my style and serve as an exercise to help me write INSPIRATIONAL material. I was in Barnes and Noble yesterday and went to my favorite section: POETRY. What I saw confirmed what I have been reading about the demise of poetry in THE MARKET. All the books in that section were USED BOOKS. Hmmmmm......a blog post, maybe my next.
THANK YOU PRECIOUS ONE and it has taken me way too long for me to put your blog on my list of blogs that I watch daily for new posts....I will do that now...you have been so kind and faithful as to come visit me every week, and I shall do the same for as my sweet husband said up here, I too "...feel a kindred spirit...."
Fondly, Anita
Weed-pulling is tough work. Even more so, keeping them from sprouting! All relationships require a watchful Gardener and some willing workers. With God we have the promise of Eden...
peace`elaine
Pesky weeds - only the Master Gardener can really get rid of them for good! He must tend the garden of our heart - and help us get to the "root" of the problems that spring up!
Got some weed-pulling lately that He's doing in my life. And it's not a fun process. But, the lawn of my life is looking a whole lot better...
GOD BLESS!
OK, just keepin' it real here, I must confess that I thought the weed (singular) in my marriage was my husband when we were younger. I yanked him this way & that & nearly drowned him with weed killer. THEN I figured out the weeds (plural) resided in ME. I babied those suckers for years; even pruned the ugly things. Alas, I learned the art of eradication.
Some of us take longer to learn :)
Sonja, what a blessing this post was. Those weeds just keep coming back and we have to continually pull them up by the roots. But more seem to take their place. Thanks for a reminder to continue to pull them out! My prayer is that we will let God continue to bless us with the fruits instead of the weeds.
Sonja, what a beautiful post! My mom (Marsha at Spots and Wrinkles) was a speaker at Christian conferences for many years. She's a great storyteller too.
I love the garden analogy. Very apt indeed!
Those pesky weeds get in the way all too easily. However, I've found that when I spend time with the Lord Greg notices the difference in me. So God gets the glory and Greg gets a kinder and more patient wife.
Love you,
Debbie
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