Weeds and Things....

Do you ever sit by your back garden patch and wonder how weeds find the darndest places to grow?  You've done what you can to alleviate the problem but even between the cracks in the cement - little sprouts make their way into the world.  How are they so persistent and why do they continue to grow despite the fact that we try to keep them out?

Life is filled with weeds and things.  They are a teaching tool from which we can learn.

Not too long ago a friend reminded me that 'all things testify of Christ'.  I realized that we are to learn from nature and natures' God.

Weeds can be likened to sin or other undesirable behaviors.  They begin with a small seed and often grow quickly and large unless rooted out.  But once they are gone, cleaned out, uprooted, the soil again becomes rich, nourishing, and beautiful to look at.

Slivers are, perhaps, a similar teaching agent.  Even the tiniest can be a most painful experience.  It's not something that can wait to be removed.  Nearly every one I've ever had required/demanded immediate attention.  It was hard for me to concentrate on anything else if a sliver was imbeded somewhere in my body.  Nothing but complete removal would satisfy the sought-after solution.

In my life, I've found that nothing but complete repentance would keep me weed and pain free.  I've also known that, often, the discomfort in mind and body comes from either lack of repentance or forgiveness of another.

Sometimes it's a long process.  Other times it's more easily removed.

One thing that I know for certain is that the Atonement of Christ is REAL in all ways.  It covers not only our sins but our guilt, our shame, embarrassment, pain, sorrow, suffering, longings, heartache, grief and loneliness.  It covers all things - just like nature covers the earth.  He teaches us how to let-go through the lessons we learn in the world around us.  If we become childlike and submissive - we are taught even more.

We can weed out and uproot deep things that have affected our lives.  In prayer, we can seek for His guidance as to how to actually do that.  Others who have trod the path before us - can provide helpful tools along the way.  But, we are the ones who actually have to decide how we want our life garden to be and what we want the soil to produce.

It's a great blessing to have gospel truths to teach us correct principles.  All other principles - man made or worldly, will not produce the results that we desire.

I think that peace is the bottom line for all of us.  It's what we long for and work towards.

Perhaps it's not so much as in growing a garden - but rather in keeping it weed free so that the Master Gardner can work His 'magic' on us and produce a bountiful harvest.

Blessings,
Heidi