Mind wanderings...

I spent the morning gardening while it was cool. As I worked, my mind reflected on lessons I can learn from my garden.

I found a weed wedged in between two landscaping rocks. I contemplated how hard it is to remove a weed there, much like it is more challenging to repent of something that has become wedged into my life. Similarly, it is simpler to remove a young weed than an established one...it is easier to change before something becomes a habit. And once one weed enters the garden, it is easier for others to come--when I justify one action, it is easier to justify others.

A few years ago, I removed a climbing rose from a corner of our yard because it didn't thrive. As I worked in that area today, I found a volunteer rose shoot growing from the same area. Sometimes, things of which we repent are removed from our lives, but we still face the consequences from time to time. I have to stay strong, even if I think I have changed.

We always have a few weeds that cross from our neighbor's side of the fence to ours. I realized how important it is to have good friends around me, so my life is filled with beauty instead of influences I don't like...those effects will come into my life no matter how hard I try.

I have a rhododendron that I have relocated several times. Each time I put it in a new place, it wasn't happy. Finally, I found the right location and it is thriving. There are seasons in my life when some activities will fit better than others. Right now, I am in a season of educating my children. It is not a good time to quilt, because so much of my energy is directed toward my girls. It is better to wait for the right season, when my talents will grow and thrive instead of doing many things halfway.

I am a sporadic gardener. I would have fit perfectly into the garden of Eden, where all Adam and Eve had to do was enjoy the garden. My life is full, so despite my best intentions, I am lucky to work in my garden once a week. The downside is that when I do work in my garden, there is a lot more work to do. If I just spent 15 minutes a day in the yard, it would be much easier to maintain. Likewise, if I pray and read my scriptures and work in my life's garden, my life will bring more joy than if I only do those cultivating activities once in a while.

These are a few things I pondered while I was in the garden this morning. I hope I won't forget these lessons as I come inside and forget to work in my garden for another couple of weeks. :)