The Wonder of Weeds

imageJune 22, 2014

I’ve been on my knees a lot lately.  I wish I could say it’s because I have an intense burden to pray.  Instead, it’s been an effective position to pull weeds in our modest 14×16 garden plot.

Around Memorial Day, I planted 24 strawberry plants, a baby cucumber plant, a basil plant, and a cilantro plant.  That was about a month ago, and the plants are all growing like … well, like weeds thanks to a record rainfall in June.

Weeds are interesting.  I think they are the only living thing that could survive a global nuclear war.  They somehow make their way through a tiny crack in a 3-inch slab of concrete.  They spread faster than prayer chain gossip.  They survive a summer-long drought, growing like my impatience with the rainy weather this month.

I wonder why God created weeds to be so annoying.

July 22, 2014

I was on my knees again recently, waging the losing battle with the army of weeds attacking my precious plants in the garden.  Someone said that if you put down newspapers in between rows and put grass clippings on top, the weeds will not grow in those places.  I did that for a couple rows, but I’ve seen some green growths peeking out from under the newspaper edges.  I’m afraid to look underneath.

I’m actually going to be sad when the gardening season is over because pulling weeds is really good therapy for me.  Prayer is good therapy for me as well, and I know God wants me to stay on my knees even when we harvest the last of our crops.

While on my knees, I have been praying for First Baptist Church and spiritual renewal.  The more I pray, the more I hear God say, “Renewal will start with you.”  So there’s the first answer to my prayers.

I guess I have learned one good thing from the weeds.

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