Lessons from the Garden
As a mom and homeowner, lawn maintenance and the upkeep of the garden are important to me. Gardening is my therapy, and I want a lawn on which our son can run around and play in without me worrying that he will find something that could harm him. My son is only 9 months and already walking. Having him walk around and do as much activity as possible to tire himself out to sleep through the night is what I look forward to because I miss sleeping through the night.
Even though we have a lawn care service that we can call, there are times I like to get my hands dirty by mowing the grass, edging the lawn, and trimming the bushes. Being outside and tilling the land is somewhat therapeutic for me. Every morning I wake up, head to the backyard, grab the garden hose, and water the seeds planted in hopes that they will bloom into beautiful vegetables, particularly my tomato plants. This is my third year gardening, and it’s still a learning curve for me. My first year, I started a compost, and that was a mess, and I didn’t end up using it. In my second year, I became pregnant, so a lot of the vegetables I didn’t pick in time. A lot of them spoiled on the vines and perhaps withered and dried out. This year I am getting back into it, perhaps at a late start, but none the less, I’m doing this. But in the three years that I have been attending to the lawn and gardening, this is what it has taught me.
Patience as things take time.
Psalms 40:1
“I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.”
Some plants I start by seed, and some are starter plants. Whichever route I decided to go, it took time. Seeds are very delicate because if not planted correctly, they don’t have a fighting chance. With seeds, there are a lot of things that go on under the surface before the seed breaks through the surface. And from the outside, it seems like nothing is happening, and my patience begins to waver. With all the digging, sweating, and toiling, you want something beautiful to come from your hard work.
And this same concept applies to life and business. If you want a great relationship or marriage, it takes work. Learning each other’s love language and how to communicate. Launching and growing a profitable business takes time and dedication, even when you do not see the benefits right away. The grass is greener on the other side because someone put in the hard work. They plucked out all the weeds, trimmed back those brushes, toiled in the hot sun, and did what was necessary to get the desired results. They did all of this over time, and the results didn’t happen overnight and what you see is the result of their patience.
We have to be patient when seeing the fruits of our labor.
Facing you fears
Isiah 41:13
“For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”
The house next door is an abandoned house, so there is no telling what non-human things have taken residency in it. While I was edging the lawn, I was caught off guard when a snake ended up on the receiving end of it. This was the second snake I had killed within a few months. After this incident, my nerves were shaken and being that I was with child, I figured I would take it easy (no judgment on this page). I had taken some months off from working the lawn. So this is where we called our lawn care service and resumed service for some time. But a few months after having our son, I wanted to get back in my garden, but the fear of what was out in the lawn consumed me for some time. But my need for therapeutic release through gardening became greater than my fear of what could be in the garden.
Facing my fears and cutting through the high weeds gave me confidence. Confidence that I could take into other areas of my life. When I slip into my moments of comparison and begin to feel as if I am not good enough or feel as if I don’t belong in the room, I remember how tough I was for going back into the jungle that I had of a lawn and my confidence rises. Now I know that lawn care isn’t the greatest obstacle to overcome. Trust me, I know. But the feeling I had when I decided to overcome my fear stayed with me. I was in “momma bear” mode. I wanted to protect my mental health and the well-being of our son when he’s outside. That moment showed me how brave I could be, and it stuck.
A hard days work is rewarding
Psalm 128:2
“When you shall eat of the fruit of your hands, you will be happy and it will be well with you.”
It is such a satisfying and rewarding feeling after a successful day of managing the garden and lawn. When I see the seeds sprouting up and the lines in the grass from a freshly cut lawn, it feels so good. I like to look at the work done and think, “I did that.” When you work hard and are diligent, it’s such a rewarding feeling when you see the results you desire.
Do you enjoy gardening or maintaining your lawn? If so, what do you love most about it? I want to hear from you. Comment below.