His Truth in Life  (10)

Oneness

            Around here every day is Valentine's Day.  When we moved here 6.5 years ago, In our back yard we had three bushes that grew side by side.  There are two bougainvillea, one with pink flowers the other with orange flowers, and something else that has white flowers, dark green leaves, and smells nutty when crushed.  They were separate and distinct then. Over the years, each has grown into the other.  They are so intertwined, one cannot tell where one stops and the other starts, except when they flower and we get flowers of different colors mixed together.  All are flourishing.  I think that is the oneness the Bible talks about, both the oneness of our Father with Christ when He says,"that they may be one, just as We are one." (John 17:22)  and about husbands and wives when it says, "The man shall leave his mother and father and be joined to his wife and they shall become one flesh." (Gen. 2:24) Like our bushes in the back yard, Christ and the Father are distinct yet one and husband and wife are unique human beings, yet one.  Each brings it's unique talents, beauties, frustrations, hope, dreams, energy and intellect.  Yet, over time husband and wife, like the bushes, are to grow together. The greatest joy is that God loves us more than any person can.  That is important to remember. Such love is a miracle. 

Disobedience

Foolish, headstrong people we are. The house was tented before we moved in just over 5 years ago.  We were to pay for annual inspections and spot treatments, but somehow that bill slipped through the cracks.  Perhaps I thought it was covered in our regular pest control and was offended when we got a separate bill.  I don't remember getting bills from them. We've learned our lesson and will keep up the annual payments and inspections so we won't have to go through this again in another 5 years.  Peezoots.   

Is that how we are with God's instructions?  "It doesn't apply to me."  "I've got that covered by doing this or that instead of what was required."  "I didn't know I was supposed to do THAT."  Guilty is guilty. No excuse works, "I didn't know I was supposed to do that. "Just read Proverbs on how to live this life with peace, etc.   Read and take heed! It is all good advice!

Lessons Gardening

So many God lessons gardening.  One was that as I trimmed a plant low to the ground, I discovered weeds that I hadn't detected.  They were in among the plants.  It reminded me of those sins that creep in unnoticed while we are doing good things.  Pride, or example.  We end up patting ourselves on the back for all the good we are doing, rather than thanking God for the opportunities He gives us to serve others and Him, for the energy too.

Another lesson I learned was when I discovered the rose bush closest to the vinca flowers was barely hanging on.  The vincas started small, but have spread and gotten big.  they are very pretty.  But I discovered their height had blocked the rose bush from both the sun and sprinklers.  I cut those growing directly in front of the roses low.  It reminded me of John the Baptist telling his followers he must decrease so that Christ would increase.  People were following him as if he was the promised messiah. Likewise, there will be times in our lives that each of us must decrease so that someone else can increase, like times I must close my mouth that my Sweetheart can be heard.

The Need for Rest

I've been so reminded of a conversation I had with Will when he was in high school.  He was stressed when I suggested he pay me a nickel for every hour he'd played computer sports.  To his complaints I replied, "That's why God gave us a Sabbath.  We are supposed to work 6 days a week."  He was unimpressed.  What turned him around was when I told him that working hard and doing one's best in all things was not for us or even himself.  I asked him if God would say, "Well done, good and faithful servant?  That it was between himself and God.  Only he knew if he was doing his best for Him who died for him.  Yet, the truth of that does not take away from the gift of a celebrating the Sabbath.  God knew that if we work 24/7 we will wear ourselves into a frazzle.  Even me, The Energizer Bunny, cannot go at this pace every day.  So am thankful for the rest!