This post originally appeared on my humor-devotional blog Lessons Learned in the Little Red Schoolhouse.
When I get away from the schoolhouse, my garden is one of the places I seek refuge. It helps me to get perspective and teaches me some invaluable life lessons.
My career as an educator and writer has required me to spend countless hours at my computer. Having had various back and neck surgeries, sitting at the computer for what feels like weeks on end can often be a hazardous occupation.
Four years ago God provided a home for us that has been healing and therapeutic for my back, as well as for my soul. After all these years, I finally have a swimming pool and can swim, and I even have space to plant different kinds of gardens.
I am passionate about both.
I Come to the Garden Alone
Yes, I know gardening can be backbreaking work, but it is also very restful. God reveals His glory to me as I see Him in everything that grows up from the earth, smell the fragrance of Christ, hear Him in the birds, and feel His presence.
I actually leave re-energized, ready to tackle the latest fix-this-right-now-or-the-world-will-end problems at work!
Being one who loves solitude, “I come to the garden alone,” as the great old hymn writer expresses.
“I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses. And the voice I hear falling on my ear, the Son of God discloses. He walks with me and He talks with me and He tells me I am His own…”
Gardens Reflect Different Aspects of Me
My various gardens reflect the different sides of me. Some are neat and tidy, with everything all in a row. They represent my need for order.
My rose gardens represent the side of me that can withstand the heat and cold and still come back strong. I prefer to think of this as my tenacious, Norwegian self that won’t give up. This is the part of me that starts schools.
My herb gardens provide the sprinklings of seasonings to keep life zesty and interesting…my need to always have a new project on the burner.
My vegetable garden is my practical side, because of course, you have to eat. In fact, eating may be my spiritual gift. Oh wait, is that a spiritual gift? Oops, guess not!
My English Garden
But my real passion is my English Garden. It’s the creative part of me that I like to unleash and see what will come up.
Perhaps this is why I love to create new programs, start new schools, and enjoy children so much—they often ‘think outside the box’.
One year I just threw random seeds in it. It was a joy to behold! It came up all by itself. I went out every day to see what surprises it had in store for me.
Each subsequent year I have tried something new and have been delighted with each portrait of beauty that God brought forth from the soil.
But alas, last spring, tragedy struck my English Garden. Monstrous growth took over. I kept watching and waiting for something beautiful to emerge.
But nothing ever did. I prayed. I pondered. I became perturbed. I persevered…but still no progress.
My English Garden looked like an out-of-control jungle. Had I inadvertently created a reflection of how I feel at times? Too many projects, a full schedule, and over-crowded commitments that can seem relentless?
It looked like I created a monster, and I wondered if I was part of the problem. Oh dear.
Then I came down with bronchitis and couldn’t do anything about it. I was forced to just look at my garden, as the agony of looking but not being able to solve the problem only made it worse. Again, I pondered.
When I got healthy again, it was time to take action! I was having a Prayer Shower at my home with lots of ladies coming, and I certainly could not have them see my ugly English Garden.
Something had to be done! Drastic times call for drastic measures.
The Friday night before the Prayer Shower, everything got completely pulled up and out, and I started all over again.
The project barely got done…just hours before everyone arrived. My hair looked like it had gone with the wind, but my garden was beautiful.
I Need Some Individualized Education, Lord!
Did I learn anything from the experience? In Mark 4: 33-34 we read, “With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.”
Oh, what I wouldn’t give to have Him explain things privately to me. Sometimes I feel like a slow learner when I have to ‘get it’ on my own.
For example, my dear husband wonders why I use holiday breaks to empty every closet, cabinet, and drawer to clean them and get rid of unnecessary things that have accumulated.
I simply reply, “It makes me feel happy.” Purging is good, after all.
So again I ask, had my garden inadvertently reflected a part of me? Is this a bad thing?
Let’s get to the root cause.
So, What Is the Root Cause?
One day I took a break from the perennial pile of paper, emails, meetings, and boring ‘to-do’ lists to go out and work in my gardens.
I did the normal weeding, pulling, and…now what is that? The monster is back! I found the culprit that had taken over my English Garden before.
I began to frantically pull it out, but its roots were like steel. I came in to show my husband and ask for his help.
Finally I had to call in a professional gardener. He told me that my beautiful vines growing on the fence had now taken root underground and were coming up into my garden.
“How? Why?” I exclaimed. “And why now and never before?”
“Are you watering more?” he asked.
“Yes…”
“Well, they love water.”
“But…so do my flowers…especially when it’s a bazillion degrees in Texas.”
A conundrum. If I water to save my flowers, I invite these horrible monsters back into my garden. Hmmm…is there a spiritual analogy here? I pondered.
Lessons Learned in the Little English Garden
As Christians we think that if we are busy doing ministry, helping everyone, serving on every committee, we are walking with Jesus. And yes, we are.
However, sometimes we can be so busy doing that that we forget to simply abide with Him. (John 15)
Perhaps we need to spend more time with God and in His Word, quietly listening in the silence to hear His still, small voice.
Do less, listen more. It doesn’t mean we don’t serve in the Kingdom, but we keep our priorities in order. God first, then family, then serving.
What Does This Look Like?
Let’s take a look at it on a more practical level.
Some people “zero out” their emails every day, like my dear friend Mary DeMuth. I try, but with on-average of 200 a day, I can get behind. And the old fear “What if I have to refer to it later?” doesn’t help. Let’s just say I have lots of files, okay?
Since I read every book on time organization that comes out, I know that having multiple files isn’t always the best way to go. But that doesn’t seem to stop me!
Who said that computers were going to make us a paperless society?
My brother-in-law was a school superintendent at the same time I was a head of school. I was speaking in their city and staying at their home. He would come in with his laptop, do all his work, close it, and be done.
I was too embarrassed to tell him I still brought home a briefcase full of…yes it’s true…papers. He is five years older than I, so I couldn’t blame it on my age.
Just as I met the monster in my English Garden, I met the monster who gobbles up my time…and guess what, ‘I are it’!
Oh dear. I have to be careful not to over-water my garden, ie, my Monster! And I have to be careful not to overcrowd my schedule so that I don’t have that quiet time with the Lord that keeps me focused and filled with His Spirit.
For now, I am going to go and sit in my gardens where everything is in a row, neat and tidy. Just like how I leave my desk when I am done working. It gives me the illusion that all is done and ‘zeroed out.’
Alice in Wonderland, here I come!