"We are stardust. We are golden.
And we've got to get ourselves back to the garden."
Joni Mitchell, "Woodstock" 1967
I love gardening and landscaping. But like everything else in my life right now, the amount of work needed to keep up seems overwhelming.
Spring clean up. Weeding. Trimming. Pruning. Edging. Mulching.
I literally cannot get it all done.
Stress, guilt, argh !
At the root (no pun intended) of the problem is my desire to have the finished look. Today, right now.
The entire yard, nice and tidy. Done for the season so that we can grill out on the deck or head to the lake for sailing.
I just can't see the end point - it will never get done!
So, my garden-gloved bride and I devised a new approach this year.
We're going to only work on one side of the house and yard per outing.
We've acknowledged our limitations and accepted a plan that will continue cycling around the yard throughout the season.
The Truth is that we will never actually reach an "end point." Weeds are going to grow in our Black-eyed Susan's later this summer. Drought is going to require some targeted watering of the pines and magnolia bush.
We're going to enjoy the mostly caught-up and for-all-appearances 'done' look. But we know it won't be.
That is our Spiritual condition.
Even if you thought it was mostly-caught-up or for-all-appearances 'done.' (never been there personally!!)
There's weeding and pruning to be done - look around the entire yard.
Jesus said, "It is finished" when he paid the price of our Salvation. That part is done.
But we are not 'finished' in our pursuit to be more like Him. He is worthy of our effort.
And don't despair at what needs to be done. You've got a garden-gloved partner there with you. He actually does the heavy lifting - and He doesn't take lunch breaks!
Try working one side of the yard at a time. Then grill out or go sailing. Just don't neglect to continue work on the next section!
Its never done, but neither is it impossibly un-done.
What do you believe?
