Gardener's Question Time

Yesterday, I didn't so much consider a field as dig one - well, sort of.

My friend, Ruth, mentioned that her garden was really overgrown and she couldn't get her garden furniture out or use the garden. Since she was on holiday from work and I had a couple of hours off, we agreed to meet up to make a go at starting a clearup.

It HAD got very overgrown...this picture isn't the garden itself, just a beautiful picture - though now I wish we had taken pics :)

Well, in this garden, some stuff was really easy to pull up and clear very swiftly; some required a good deal more effort, even tools occasionally! However, this simple act of clearing out weeds, cutting plants back, tying up others to train them in a different direction made a HUGE difference.

She can now put out her garden furniture, plant other flowers to fill the gaps and bring more colour, have people round and enjoy that extra aspect of fellowship that being in a garden brings and sit out enjoying the wonderful creation around. She has a bird table to set up amongst other things.

As I was clearing, I came across a shrub, a choisia that will now flourish, and produce the most beautifully fragranced flowers now that it is unobscured and can see the sun.

After 2 hours graft, I could stand back, and consider this 'was-jungle'. Our God is an alive and talking God and He had some lessons for me.

• Clear out unwanted 'growth' in my life. Some will be easy; some will take more effort
• Clearing this unwanted growth from my life will open up new possibilities and options
• Clearing the unwanted growth will allow hidden/forgotten beauty to shine through, which will bring JOY...delight to Jesus, Others, Yourself
• This clearing out will need maintaining but things are made a lot easier after the initial effort. I just need to keep the maintenance regular!
• Having help in clearing out, makes the job easier and gives extra fellowship encouragement, and the helping hand

John 15 talks about abiding in Jesus as the true Vine. Father God wants to grow me and see fruit in my life. My considering now can take me to think and ask Him what He wants to help me dig out; what He wants me to plant in and what He sees there already that can be free to grow and flourish now

Like Gardener's Question Time, I can ask the Expert what is the best course of action for my 'problem'. As He gives the answer and guidance for the best possible outcome, I can then go and do what He suggests or....well, is any other way worth considering?