Am I the only one who gets way overly excited about growing stuff? This morning I stopped and just spent time with my tomato and jalapeno plants. I know its weird but I just get the best feeling of peace and accomplishment when I see those tiny little jalapenos and tomatoes! This year we have several pots on our long front porch with tomatoes and a variety of peppers.
They started out as wimpy little sprouts and with time (and a lot of rabbit poop) they are big leafy plants bursting with possibilities! I love watching them grow, I love the delicate little flowers that suddenly show up, and then the tiniest little hint of fruit appears...I love it!!! I must sound insane. I guess there are so many things we can't count on in life. Whether its something big like our messed up government or something small like the idiot driver who wants to occupy your space, life is full of unpredictability and craziness that we can't hide from. But I know that when I get home, I will be greeted by my little plants and as long as I protect them from the elements and keep them watered and staked up, they will do exactly what I expect. And in a short while, I will break out the Ranch dressing and have at those tomatoes. So bring on the stress of living with autism, or the stress of adoption, or even the stress of life in general. I've got tomatoes! I've also got God's word. He says,
28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary
and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble
and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30
This verse is proven every day in my life. My burden can get stinkin' heavy but I don't have to bear it. God is teaching me, each and everyday. I can actually say that I am grateful for the difficulties because without them I wouldn't have the opportunities to learn to rest in my Lord's strong arms. When people comment on all the things we have going on; whether its therapies, or missions trips, or adoption, or even fostering kittens for the SPCA, their comments are usually a passive aggressive way of saying "You're doing too much!" But I'm not. I only have this short lifetime to do what needs to be done. When it's too much, we slow down, check in with God and recharge. The verse above doesn't say dump your burdens, it says Jesus is there carrying it with us. It doesn't say run from difficult tasks, it says "take up my yoke." So we do and we know tiredness and we receive true rest because of it.
This morning Olivia was not having her best morning and there were a lot of tears. So I dealt with it. And when I was done, I went out to my front porch and looked at my little plants and rested. Then I got up and went on with my day.
So that's why I love my plants. I guess if God could use a donkey to teach a prophet, He can use a tomato plant to teach me.
No comments:
Post a Comment