MORNING'S GLORY

It's all through my front lawn, the invasive weed called “Morning Glory.” Yes, “buddies” with the dandelions. And no matter how hard I try to keep up, these “natural invaders” hang around. I'm not chained to the ideal of a weed-free lawn, nor of the perfect life. This side of Heaven, there will be imperfection. Trouble. Financial challenges. Grief and mourning. Unwanted relational weeds. But Jesus put perspective on it: “I have told you these things : “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

When did He say that? Right before His arrest, hours before His crucifixion! Did His disciples remember those words in the midst of that commotion? Not very well at that time, as they scattered in the surprise visit of an arresting posse. But John never forgot the promise, including it in his account of Jesus' life and teachings.

Sadly, it was the next morning (after a sleepless night being pushed around to a farce of an alleged criminal court), that Jesus writhed in dying agony on an execution cross usually reserved for the worst of the worst among criminals.

Then came Easter morning, at the tomb where He was hastily interred, and the melodious voice of an angel (I wonder what it sounded like!): He is not here. He is risen, just as He said! I'm grateful that breathtaking announcement was included in all four Gospels. The nightmare of the night turned into the glory of the morning!

Even before Easter gave special celebration to the time-frame called morning, those whose inspired writings became our Bible gave special attention to morning.

*As a way to start the day with prayer and trust: “In the morning, LORD, you will hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly' (Psalm 5:3).

*As a reminder of God's mercy, and joy after hardship: “Weeping may last for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).

*To celebrate God's never-failing compassion: “Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23).

What more can I say? Except: “Glory!”

DANDELIONS--AGAIN

Here they are: a dandelion family waiting to be evacuated from a lawn. My fingers and poker-tool are not their only enemy. You learn something every day, and though I don't hang around with folks with vibrant green thumbs (real smart gardeners), I've discovered that I can battle my lawn's dandelions without products bearing skull-and-crossbones warnings on them. The natural remedy: vinegar. More accurately, “horticultural vinegar,” which is 20% acetic acid as compared with the 5% acetic strength in my kitchen-cupboard vinegar. Here's the method: using vinegar to get rid of dandelions in lawn - Search

If only “weedy” human relationships were as easy. Often, no matter what is done to help or placate them, it's never enough. Seems that no matter how much one tries to sow “grace,” “friendship,” or “helpfulness,” with some folks, it doesn't help. Still, as Christ-followers, we're to follow His example in planting “good” even where soil is unfriendly. To bloom where we are planted.

St. Francis de Sales (1567-1622), Bishop of Geneva (here's its history: Diocese of Geneva - Wikipedia ) is credited with that saying (“Bloom where you are planted”). In recent decades it enjoyed revival through the broadcasts of Paul Harvey and art of Mary Engelbreit. But sayings with the same thoughts are found throughout scripture. Sometimes that was history, like God's instruction to the Israelites to “settle in” with homes, gardens and families during their exile in Babylon (Jeremiah 29:5-6). The book of Psalms opens with a similar scenario, comparing a righteous person to a tree planted near a water source, growing and yielding fruit.

What if you think your “ground” isn't compatible to blooming? The apostle Paul said to learn contentment in every situation (Philippians 4:11-12). Do the right thing. Don't crumble if things aren't perfect.

Ironically, it's the very robust, prolific dandelion that runs counter to our culture's perception that a lawn must be lovely, velvety, and free of yellow-blooming weeds that “die” to self-propagating fluff-heads. But last I checked, nobody in history has enjoyed a perfect, velvet-green life. Life comes with times of storms, drought, cutting-down and unwelcome weeds (hardship, difficult relationships). But still, we are to bloom. As one example, I think of Joni Eareckson Tada. She could have turned her broken neck and invalid bed into grump's coffin. But she didn't. She turned paralysis into praise. Weeds into wisdom. 

And remember, dandelions can be pretty flowers for a little child to pick for Mommy. They don't prick like thorny roses, and their flying offspring or the  left-behind weed root can faithfully regrow another sunny bloom. Maybe—like life's negative relationships and difficult times—they aren't what we planted. But we can still shine forth—with the hope rooted in our faith in a generous, all-knowing God.....who deemed a lowly plant worthy of a bright and cheery color.

ROOTED

Well....this weed had a deep “foundation”--and I'm glad the soil was moist enough that I could “liberate it” from further growth without leaving the root in the soil to propagate again. I'm sure you've seen—as I have—homes in the community where weeds have taken over. I pass by one nearly every week, the once-trim lawn now thigh-high in weeds. I know that house, in and out. Back in my single days (the early 1970s) I rented a bedroom there for a winter. At that time it had orange shag rug, and my roommates had a dog who thought that rug was a dandy location for its, uh, “bathroom duties.” But, I digress...

Driving past it now—overwhelmed by weeds and more—I remember our  “renter duties” of mowing and weeding. We kept it 'lookin' good." Now when I see an unkempt house, I think of several reasons “why.” Sometimes it's in an estate situation—the owner deceased, the inheritance knotted up in probate issues. Or it may be owner-occupied, and that owner unwell or just doesn't care. Or, third choice, a rental, with an absentee owner who, well, just doesn't care as long as the occupants pay the rent.

Bear with me for the analogy, but I wonder if our Lord looks over His world and finds hearts that are spiritually unkempt, full of the weeds of bad habits, sloth, anger, or indifference. I remember this principle: “For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11). If the body-and-mind-house (our flesh-blood-thinking “selves”) doesn't have Jesus in residence and in control, it often shows in what we present outwardly to the world through our demeanor and words.

That seems to be a common theme in letters that the apostle Paul wrote to fledgling churches. Besides the one at Corinth (mentioned above which had its share of worldly “habits” to change) there were believers at Colossae (in modern-day Turkey), who got this Pauline reminder: “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness” (Colossians 2:6-7).

In other words, the inner character that is revealed in our “outward lives”--as the soil yields either a mess of weeds or a groomed, cared-for lawn—is what the world sees. It's also how the world regards the difference that a faith “rooted” in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior can make in our inside/outside "person."

Come to think about, one alternative to a cared-for lawn is one overwhelmed by crab grass. And it's hard to be “overflowing with thankfulness” if you've got weeds of crabby discontent in your life. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go out and dig some weeds out of my real lawn.

EXAM TIME

It was time again to separate the weeds from the flowers, and toss the unwanted, wild greenery into the garbage bin. As I went through the routine of yard-work chores, I thought of how God does the same with those who seek to follow Him wholeheartedly. Like earth's rogue grasses, thistles, horsetails, and dandelions, there are spiritual faith-chokers that need removal so the soil of our souls can nourish the blossoms of godliness. Maybe, for this, we could use the term “eternal exams.”

Of course, the word "exams" takes me down memory lane to my education, especially college. The academic semester was full of lectures, papers, quizzes and such to convey information and evaluate how students were taking it in. With finals at the semester's end, two groups of students emerged: those who passed, and those who didn't. There were flowers (who bloomed through acquisition of knowledge) and weeds (those who slunk through without bearing the good fruit of learning).

Okay, done with poetic comparisons (and my analogy was admittedly a bit weird). But Jesus told a similar story (Matthew 13:24-30) about a farmer who sowed good seeds, symbolizing the goodness that God has sown into the world. But during the night, an enemy sowed weeds in the same field. Obvious analogy here: the work of Satan—sneaky and dark.

The weeds I pull are obviously different from the plants I want to nurture. But Jesus' parable makes a lot more sense upon learning the “weed” He probably had in mind: “darnel,” which looked like a stalk of wheat until mature and was toxic when ingested by animals and humans.* “Weeding out” the tares before harvest would damage the remaining wheat stalks. (Ever try to walk in a grain field without smashing the stalks?) After harvest, the weed-tares could be separated and burned.

I weed my flower beds and uproot dandelions to keep my home attractive and a credit to the neighborhood. When I get down on my knees to eradicate the unwanted weeds, I am reminded of how that humble posture is one way to approach a holy God in prayer.

My most-used tool is a long rod with a V-shaped tip to slip down the weed's stem to take “more” of the root than just snatching off the bloom. Maybe there's a lesson in that, too. When we're made aware of behaviors that aren't pleasing to God, it's easy to say, “Well, I won't do that anymore.” But casual declarations don't get to the “root” of the problem. God's “eternal exam time” digs deep into attitudes like selfishness and entitlement that grow from a life focused on me-me-me.

God's Final Exam is coming. In the meantime, we have the privilege of soul checkups—the “weeding out” of actions and attitudes that don't honor Him, giving the true blooms of godliness space to thrive.

*For more about the toxicity of “darnel,” check this reference: Topical Bible: Darnel

Return visitors

Last week I ended seven months of blogging about God-messages I sensed during September’s five-day vacation on one of the Hawaiian islands.  Of course, people have asked, “Are you planning a return trip?”  Not sure on that!  In the meantime, here are some true “return visitors.”  Welcome to my weedy back yard! There’s a hidden, five-feet-wide space between our house and the neighbor’s fence that annually produces a crop of dandelions.  Tall rhododendrons hide it from street view, but I know it’s there.  Every spring, when I fight scratchy rhododendron branches to rake their carpet of dead leaves, I also bring a bucket to hold the crop of dandelions I pull.

That they return every year reminds me how spiritual “weeding” is an ongoing process.  Without self-examination and confession, my life would sprout a thick patch of weeds, particularly those which Hebrews 12:15 describes:

See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

I’ve been thinking a lot about that passage lately, probably because I was recently the target of someone’s "bitter root" toward me. Still hurting from that person's negative comments, I came to church this past Sunday never imagining the sermon would be so well tailored to my needs. The speaker spoke on his own experiences with “bitter roots,” depression and hatred, using scriptures that have become old friends from my own earlier painful lessons in this area.  I especially thought of two spiritual character lists the apostle Paul wrote to different churches:

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:31-32)

Rid yourself of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips....Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. (Colossians 3:8, 12)

There’s no cavalier, self-centered “you made me mad, therefore I don’t like you” in these verses. They reveal the gritty, difficult, humbling work of living as Christ would have us live.  For me, the closer I get to Christ, the more I realize I need His grace, day by day, in pulling the character weeds that need to go.

Schlepping along

My tasks that day included weeding—something I really didn’t want to do. So I put on my don’t-be-seen-in-public “work duds” and began my close encounters with a long, fence-line flower bed. Soon, my bucket was brimming with weeds, so I pushed my tired body off the ground, and schlepped my way to the garbage bin. That’s your word for the day: schlep.  It’s from a Yiddish word meaning “to drag,” and in English it’s come to mean “to move slowly, with difficulty or unwillingly.”

For several hours I scooted alongside this notoriously weedy fence line to dig and pull invaders.  It doesn’t help that an empty, weedy lot is on the other side of the fence. By the time I’d dumped the last bucketful in the garbage, I collapsed in a heap by the couch (I was too filthy to sit on it) and downed a glass of water. 

I thought of other times I’d schlepped through life’s exhausting “stuff.” Facing homelessness and joblessness (and God’s amazing, just-in-time provision). The huge task of emptying homes of parents after their deaths. Seeking harmony in difficult relationships. Being a victim of injustice. Fulfilling a commitment beyond what I perceived as my limitations. Did I mention letting God do some “weeding” of bad stuff in my heart?

At such times I experienced the hope of “enabling grace.”

Like Paul described: “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (2 Cor. 9:8). I tend to read that, “so that most of the time you’ll survive.”  But no—that stout word “all” reminds me God’s work is done in His strength.

Paul learned that principle in a wretched classroom, a filthy First Century prison. Yet even from its dirt, debris and discouragement, he proclaimed, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). Instead of giving up, he gave it to Jesus.

Okay, I admit it.  When doing mindless tasks like weeding, I do a lot of thinking. As I seek to uproot (or at least slow down) the encroachment of various weeds whose names I don’t even know, I think of how God looks at this sin-choked world.

How grateful I am that He gives us this hope:  this isn’t how it will always be. Someday He will return and end all that is wicked and fallen, making it new again. As Isaiah saw it: “Instead of the thorn bush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.  This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed” (Isaiah 55:13).

No more schlepping, either!

P.S. Warm and grateful greetings to readers around the world. The program that operates this blog tells me the countries (but not the individual addresses) that are accessing my blog. Most of you live in the U.S. but others (in order of frequency this past month) visited from Germany, Russia, United Kingdom, Brazil, Belarus, France, South Korea, Malaysia, Poland and Portugal. Knowing your diverse backgrounds (including those who might know some Yiddish, as per today's post!) reminds me that our Lord's messages are for all cultures. I am thankful when you share these blog posts with others, for my motivation is to honor Jesus and help us all in our journeys of faith.

4-H and Weeds

My husband and I recently visited the county fair, browsing exhibits of food, crafts and animals. My favorite: enormous pigs, asleep and crammed into tiny cages like giant packaged sausages (which some of them may become!). In the 4-H crafts building, I noticed an adult mentor conversing with a young 4-H member about her project. The expression on the young person’s face indicated her openness about “doing it better.”

Seeing them reminded me of one of the first verses in Proverbs I memorized as a youngster: “Hear counsel and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.” Or, in today’s language: “Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise” (Proverbs 19:20).

As I grew up, I experienced the truth of that verse when godly adults loved me enough to have the courage to offer “advice” and “instruction” about changes needed in my attitudes and behavior. Some of their counsel was like the four “H’s” of the 4-H program, reflected in other verses of Proverbs:
Head (thought life): “The Lord detests the thoughts of the wicked, but those of the pure are pleasing to him” (Proverbs 15:26).
Heart (values): “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life” (Proverbs 4:23).
Hands (work ethic): “From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the work of his hands rewards him” (Proverbs 12:14).
Health (the physical-emotional link): “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones” (Proverbs 16:24).

So what does weeding have to do with all this? Home from the fair, as clouds moved over the sun to temper an already-hot day, I decided to weed our large rose bed. Kneeling between those thorny bushes with hand tools, I stabbed and pulled, filling a large bin. I found myself comparing weeding to growing in our spiritual walk. Sometimes we’re blind to our spiritual “weeds” until someone who’s more spiritually mature comes along and says, “This doesn’t belong in your life. You need to root it out.”

By the way, the roosters over in the fair’s chicken barn were quite a sight, too. One was strutting all over his three-foot cage and crowing. Talk about pride! And of course there’s a proverb for that: “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).