weeds

Husband and I were sitting on the front porch tonight drinking a glass of awesome and watching the kids play. As I admired how lush and green our grass looked, he commented on the yard and praised my hard work. Since we moved into new construction and builders don’t seem concerned with the quality of sod they put down, our weed-infested crap grass woke up with the spring sunshine and proceeded to take over the whole yard. Lucky for me, a landscaping friend gave me some solid wisdom to get things under control quick which would set me up for success for years to come.

And it worked!!! I’ve even had neighbors pop over and ask how I’ve kept the weeds at bay and made the grass come in so thick and green. The formula is fairly simple: fertilizer only every 6 weeks, mow every 7 days and manually pull the weeds daily. Yep, I said daily. At some point each day, while the kids are playing or I want to escape the chaos, I walk the yard with my grocery sack and pull those nasty creepers that are trying to take over. It is like a scavenger hunt that nobody wants to be on. I feel a bit like Rick Moranis in “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” out scouring the grass with a magnifying glass. My weed obsession has even become a joke with my family. I *may or may not* have resorted to pulling the neighbors’ weeds once mine were under control. #ihaveissues

Every day, it has become my ritual and my routine to pull weeds. I really shouldn’t be surprised that “daily” is the key to my successful yard. Daily is the word the Lord gave me at the beginning of 2018. Each year during the week between Christmas and New Year, Husband and I pray and ask the Lord for a word for the year. My word this year filled me with instant dread and a less than enthusiastic outlook on what was to come. Other than brushing my teeth, I’m not really good at doing anything every. single. day. I like to mix it up. Variety is the spice of life, right?!?! But apparently daily is the key to something the Lord wanted me to learn.

““I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

John 15:5

BINGO! There it is in John 15: fruit. Daily bears fruit. Daily attention to what we eat bears a healthier body and mind. Daily attention to how we speak to our spouse bears a healthier marriage. Daily attention to the condition of our heart bears a healthier relationship with ourselves and others. This includes the Lord. When we daily stay connected to Him, the more fruit we will bear in every area of our lives. To remain requires a daily giving and receiving of ourselves that can only happen if we are intentional. It is not about checking a box on our to-do list. It is about being connected to the Source. Just like with Adam and Eve, my sin was never the problem Jesus came to solve. He came so that I could be once again connected the source of all life. This connection, this opportunity to remain in Him, is what feeds my spirit and guides my steps.

The next question then becomes: where are the weeds in my soul? What part of my mind, will and emotions have I neglected? What behaviors, attitudes and prejudices have I let slide? Where have I let fact overtake truth in my life? What excuses do I make for the hard things I just don’t feel like doing?  As with any lawn, so the crabgrass of our hearts will take over if not addressed. That, my friends, is why the daily is so important. A weed that sits for days, weeks, or even years has much deeper roots and hurts WAY worse to remove. Just like everything the Lord asks of us, it is always for our good and always a blessing.

And so begins my journey with daily. One weed at a time. The word that once seemed so scary now feels precious and sweet. I’ll leave you with my now daily prayer for 2018: Lord, help me plant good seeds, yank the weeds and bear fruit that brings glory to your name. #amen

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