THE 'LION, THE SNATCH & THE YARD-ROBE

 Apologies to C.S. Lewis (author of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) but I think of this parody title (my invention!) of his famous allegory fiction  when spring comes. The warmer weather brings the emergence of lawn dande-LIONS that I try to SNATCH before they seed out to turn my YARD into a fluffy white ROBE of reproducing, winged seeds. Yes, I know they're pretty little flowers for little children to pick for a bouquet for mommy or grandma. (I've been blessed this way by earnest little hands.) They're fun to blow to the winds. Can't you just hear that fluffy little head saying, “Whee, free ride to another home”? But, not “pretty” for my culture's gardening ideal that considers the dandelion a weed.

So, I am thinking....do I cultivate spiritual dandelions in my life? When my heavenly Lawn-Keeper is at work in the garden of my soul, am I letting weeds like anger, resentment, discontent, slander, unfounded suspicion and such negatives sprout and spread? One sage remarked, “If you ignore little things, they'll become big problems.”

I think that fits right in with the Lord's pattern for prayer that includes “forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.” It calls for sweeping the "attitude dust" out of the heart-house, determined to minimize more re-entering. It means plucking out deceptively pretty blooms of “it's all about me” to clear the landscape for the beauty and purity of Christ to show forth.

The Prayer also includes this petition: “Lead us not into temptation,” avoiding sinful choices and attitudes which could flourish and spread. Tending the spiritual life calls for tenderheartedness regarding words and behaviors that shouldn't be. Then, an earnest desire to have God lead us away from tolerating the rogue attitudes and actions that don't belong in the garden (or lawn) of our souls.

So, apologies to C.S. Lewis for tampering with the title of his famed “Narnia” fantasy fiction. It was part of parent/childhood reading for my son and daughter. Not only had I previously read the series myself, but back about 1980 I saw the actual Lewis family wardrobe (stand-alone closet) made famous as an imagined entrance to “Narnia.” Purchased in England, brought to the U.S., it was then located in a dedicated archive room of the Wheaton College library. A photo of it here:

cs lewis wardrobe at wheaton college - Search Images