Fruit From Weeds: Insight 7

One weed at a time

Faced with a lot of weeding, it is tempting to try to pull multiple weeds at one time. Resist that temptation. Otherwise you will likely end up with a handful of leaves while the weeds’ roots remain the ground.  The bed may look better right now, but those roots will grow new leaves in short order, consuming more of the soil’s nutrients. And guess what, you’ll have to weed the same area all over again.

Instead, focus on one weed at a time. That will make it more likely to get the roots out, ending that weed for good. As scripture puts it, “accumulation little by little is the way to riches.” Proverbs 13:11(New Jerusalem Bible)

Fruit from Weeds: Insight 6

Enjoy the Good Stuff as You Go Along

Weeding is not my favorite task, but it does have one pleasant aspect—it gets me close to the crops and the soil. It puts me at ground level with my hands in the middle of a bed.  That gives me a close up view of our crops’ beauty. It also gives me a chance to appreciate the soil and how much life it contains. That can bring a lot of joy. The secret is to look beyond the weeds at the good things around them.

That is true of life in general. We all have routine duties that are not themselves pleasant, but show us good stuff if we open our eyes. We have to flip our clothes in the spring and fall and iron them in between.  Neither chore is fun, but both remind us of God’s provision.  We have to proof read a document (the epitome of tedium), but that forces us to examine what God has given us the talent and opportunity to write.  

You get the idea; God gives us ways to experience joy in the midst of the mundane. We just have to open our eyes. Maybe that’s why He tells us to “rejoice always; pray without ceasing” and  “in everything give thanks.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.