Wednesday, April 27, 2011

big picture front lawn

A few weeks ago my Love planted grass seed in empty holes in our lawn.  He dug up the dry dirt, laid down top soil and sprinkled the exposed earth with seed.  After his hard work there took more work.  You couldn't just walk away from the project of desiring new growth and hope for the best.  No.  If we wanted the grass to take root, we had to continue caring for it.  We couldn't walk on it (which drove the dog and me crazy).  We had to water it (sometimes twice) daily.  


After a few days, you could still see the seed sitting on top of the soil.  It was vulnerable to the affects of this world.  It needed to be protected and nurtured.  Into the second week little seedlings spouted.  We continued to water the patches and celebrated each little sprig of new growth.  Soon some areas of grass had grown so well that they were starting to blend in to the rest of the lawn.  Suddenly I realized those areas no longer needed my careful attention.  They had grown into the fiber of the yard and were now required to be maintained just like the rest of the grassy area.


You guessed it.  God has a lesson in here for me.  When I started this process of being thankful in all circumstances, MANY things happened.  At first it wasn't easy (ie. I couldn't stomp all over it by crushing new growth and I had to water it daily) but I knew the hard work would pay off.  I nurtured and cared for and protected it because it was new and fragile and vulnerable to the world around me.  I was aware of the days that went by after so much effort just to discover "the seed was still sitting on top of the soil".  Then one day I got a glimpse of the "seedlings".  Slow progress.  He doesn't have to show us that but he often does by his grace.  

Some days God chose to water the grass for me which gave me relief from having to stand out there with the proverbial (and literal) hose.  Time passed and as I was busy paying attention to the new patches of lawn that required my care (God isn't finished with me yet), I looked back at the first seedlings and realized they were now a part of me.  They blended right into the big picture front lawn.


Thank you God for dead spots in the grass (and in our lives) that can be filled and are able to sprout new growth by your grace.  Thank you for the person you are molding me in to for your glory.  Thank you for sending down your rain so I learn that all this watering really isn't all up to me.

2 comments:

Chanel said...

This was wonderful encouragement for me today.
Keep moving forward!

The Howe Family said...

Amen!
Did you make it to HF today?