What I learned through Yard Work

A message in Yard Work???

Yard Work Today was a busy, laboring day for me. Even though my hubby was home I still have always enjoyed doing the yard work. (Odd I know) I was mowing, edging, using the weeder and blower to make our front and back yard clean and 'sharp' looking. Although I am still not the greatest with the 'weed eater' I still tried my best.

When I was doing this laboring tasks, (The reason I love to do this is because for me it is an awesome form of exercise.) I focused on two things 1) God, and 2) Keeping constant tabs on my two kids. Over and over again I'd find them a little too far, or simply not seeing them at all because they had went inside our garage or were behind the car or other side of the house. Over and over I had to turn off the mower and yell to them to come back to where I was. I explained that it's crucial to have them near me (especially since I can't hear them over the noise of the lawn machinery) at all times to make sure they are safe, but when they wander further and further from me I can not protect them, especially if I can't see them. Constantly I called, yelling their names out for them to return back to where I was. They would stay near me for a brief time but then got distracted and wandered off again. After the 4Th time of them taking off out of eye range my husband took over and brought them indoors.

It was time to begin the 'edge' work and right away I started to reflect on Him. As I was edging I was trying to make the grass clear from the sidewalk to make our yard look tidy and neat. In doing so, I thought 'Today has been a day in which I wonder if God often feels about us?' I am the mother to my kids; their protector, nurturer, and safety net yet even still they were not sticking safely by me but instead always drifted further and further from me making it so hard to keep them under my care. I was often calling out to my kids as they continued to disappear from my view, making it impossible to make sure they were safe. Even if they went inside the garage, there were a lot of unsafe tools that would be harmful to them. I asked God 'Is this how you feel about us?; calling us over and over to stay near You because it is for our own good, yet at times we wander, sometimes straying further than we realized? Yet You are faithful and continue to call us, pulling on our heart strings to stay near You for You are our Fortress and Protector.' Christ is our Shield, Fortress, Hiding Place, Keeper, Lifter of Our Head, Refuge, Rock, Shade, Shelter, Protector and Stronghold. Psalm 91:1-16.

Later as I was completing my awesome edging (not a blade of grass out of place - not really, but I like to dream) I thought of how often God uses the edger on us as Christians. This brought me to think about Twitter, Blogger, Facebook, and other online networks. There is always the front page telling you to log in, but if you aren't already a member they ask you to 'Register Here' or 'Sign Up'. Since I am already a member of the Lord's I felt that the edger was just like these sites that I'm also already members of. Instead of introducing me to the site (or God and His Son the way 'Signing up' for Facebook would start off with introductions) instead He was pruning me, the way the my edging pruned the yard; removing the unnecessary, out of order grass and some weeds. In the same way that Facebook or Twitter do this; they know I am a member so now the introductions are done; they begin to further educate me about the many different ways I can further benefit my membership. Same with Christ.

As I used the edger I thought 'God too uses a different type of edger on me, using it to shape me into a straight and narrow path; His path, one that is uncluttered and clear, one that is used that helps me to see the entire sidewalk (or driveway) without distractions of sloppy, overgrown and unkempt grass. Interesting how my yard work turned into a teaching from Him using my own kids as examples of the importance of staying close to His side, and then using the edger to show how He uses 'other tools' to shape and keep me clean, focused, and righteous.

Below is a photo of our yard after I was finished: It wasn't perfect, but it was as trim and tidy as I could get it before my arms fell off (however we still are working on finishing the flowerbed).

Then here's the edge work I did on our sidewalk which made for a clean, uncluttered, and inviting sidewalk to walk down. (At least in my opinion.) :D

Below is an image of an unkempt, neglected, and messy yard, the way Christ does not desire our life to be lived. Can you observe how the overgrown yard is a distraction from the nice homes? Do you recognize how you don't even notice the other side of the street and how cleaned up it is? Just one unpruned yard, can be infectious and be a huge distraction and poor example for the one's who want to live a righteous, respectable, and honorable life that strives to be spotless and clean before Him. Interesting how my yard work had me in a place reflecting on Christ; reflecting on how He revealed more to me than just getting my yard cut.

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and good examples, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matthew 5:16.