Doesn't look much like a garden to me either!

I admit that I've been ignoring my child. Last Spring, I helped birth the Serenity Garden part of Iris Park. In case you've never been there, it's pretty much the area past the fountain, under the two huge live oak trees, way off to the right when you're walking from the church to the admin building. It's safe to say that it's definitely off the beaten path.

A small handful of church members spent many days digging, planting, watering, weeding, and mowing the area for several months. While the weather was welcoming, I worked out there many days until sunset, which was often awesome across our field. Serenity was a natural name for the flower garden area. One day, I even saw a double rainbow arching over the church building! It was an incredible work of art that only God could do! I took several pictures of it with my cell phone, and as soon as I can figure out how to transfer them to my computer, I'll email them out.

Alas, for the last few months it's been too hot to spend much time out there. Other things have captured our attention for now. The neglect is apparent -- the sunflowers have lost their color, with nothing left of them but bird seed. Some of the tender annuals have withered. At least I'm learning what not to even try to grow. No more impatiens! (Pun intended.) The survivors, and amazingly even some thrivors (is that a word?), have received what they need from the hand of God rather than from a human gardner.

But I know the weather will soon enough be cool and the outdoor work inviting. Again I'll be able to walk with the Lord in the cool of the day in a garden that we are co-creating. You know, my life is a lot like that little garden.

Whose weeds are you pulling?

One of the first lessons that God taught me in the garden was probably 20 years ago. After a time of moving around, I had a cute little rent house in Podunk where I had a chance to plant some veggies.

One day I was babysitting a friend's kids. While Austin and Michael played GI Joe or some other guy thing, 5-year-old Crystal and I decided to work in the garden. My goal was to get a start on pulling weeds, and she was eager to help.

After we'd worked side by side for a while, I noticed that Crystal had moved to a new section of the garden and was busily pulling up some tiny weeds that were curiously growing in a row. She was proud that she was doing a great job as a helper. Suddenly I realized that she had pulled up nearly all of the tiny carrot sprouts! I knew it was my fault because I had failed to point out what was NOT weeds.

The Lord then told me, "Katy, that's what happens when some of my children get overly eager to 'help' in other people's lives. Often only the Master Gardener can tell the weeds from the sprouts." I've tried to remember that lesson whenever I want to help someone else clean up their act. Sometimes what looks like a weed to me might actually be a sprout of growth that I don't recognize.

So when you help others tend to their "gardens", leave the "weed-pulling" for the One Who Knows.

Learning Curve

I don't know about you, but I can feel like a total idiot when I try to learn something new. Something that is so simple to someone else can completely mystify me. That's one reason we need each other. Each of us is given particular gifts.

Unlike many of my friends, I can plant things and they usually grow. I learned most of what I know about plants by asking for advice from those who know, then through trial and error, mostly by just digging in and getting my hands dirty.

Now I'm learning how to blog by pretty much the same method. It ain't as easy as it looks, but probably not as hard as I'm making it either. Thank God Donna is patient!

Church Grounds Maintenance

The Board of Trustees will hold a yard cleanup on Saturday, August 29 from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Bring yard tools, lawn mowers, weed eaters and help us get the yard ready for Friendship Sunday. Your help is greatly appreciated. See Robert Bellanova for more information.