Lessons from the Garden

I’ve had indoor plants for decades, but I’m new to gardening. And I had fun digging in a community garden recently. My job was to weed two raised beds.

Bermuda Grass

Now if you’ve never weeded Bermuda grass, you may not know about the roots. I knew that the roots went pretty deep for this kind of grass. So I dug, following the roots. down. And down. And down. I noticed a few things that seem to mirror my mind.

First, that the surface had quite a few appearances of this grass, but as I dug, I saw that it came from the same root system. Second, that much of the grass on the surface was connected deep down.

So it is with my mind. I seem to have a variety of areas in my mind or in my life where I need to weed. But ultimately, it all comes from one source. One big deep root.

Faith As Deep and Tenacious

And then a friend pointed out that Bermuda grass is quite tenacious. A small clump of roots could sit

dormant for years in  the shed or in a dry patch of ground. But sprinkle a little water on it, and it grows. And grows. And grows. He said, “As you dig, pray that your faith is as tenacious as that Bermuda grass.” In some ways it is. And then there is my couch potato resume.

A Lifetime Project

And no matter how deep you dig, and how carefully you follow that root system, it seems like it will take a lifetime to rid that raised bed of all of the Bermuda grass. So it is with life. I could spend a lifetime weeding my mind of one thing. Like eating too many sweets.

Or I could just know that those weeds, those deep roots are there, and choose not to water them. I can choose to choose a different thought when I want that cookie or that beautiful pair of earrings.

How about you?

What lessons has your garden taught you?