Gardening

What Ingredients Create Our Spiritual Mulch?

/ Bill Jones / 13 Comments
Flower Bed Before Mulch

Flower Bed Before Mulch

The flower beds were a mess. Some still are since it’s a work in progress. I didn’t add any mulch in the fall, so the weeds were free to multiply and the warm winter helped them along.

But, thankfully, I’ve had some time and been able to work on the beds. Here’s what they’re starting to look like.

Flower Bed with Pine Straw Mulch

Flower Bed with Pine Straw Mulch

My favorite mulch (and the favorite of many folks around here in south Georgia) is pine straw. It’s abundant and relatively inexpensive. I like the way it looks, too – makes things nice and neat.

But, although it does look good, the main purposes of the mulch aren’t aesthetic. Mulch is used to stop the weeds from growing – hopefully to keep the ground dark enough that the weed seeds don’t even sprout. And, it’s used to retain the moisture when the summer gets hot and dry.

In my pondering as I put out the pine straw, I wondered if there was such a thing as spiritual mulch. We certainly need something to keep the spiritual weeds from growing – those thoughts or actions that begin siphoning off our nourishment that God provides. Those things that begin to shade our heart and mind from God’s presence.

We also need ways to keep the living water around us during times of spiritual drought.

I decided that prayer and Bible study are two necessary components of spiritual mulch. Consistent prayer (with the right attitude) keeps us close to God. Bible study continually reminds us who God is, who we are in relation to Him, and what He has done for us.

Those ingredients will keep the spiritual weeds from growing (and having worked hard at getting rid of weeds in the flower bed, I can say it’s much easier to keep them from growing than to remove them later) and they will keep the living water flowing from Jesus.

“Pray without ceasing” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 ESV

“On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.” John 7:37 ESV

God’s Love Becomes a Forest of Beauty

/ Bill Jones / 2 Comments
Wisteria Spreads Through the Trees

Wisteria Spreads Through the Trees

Here’s a shot just down the road where the wisteria vines have spread through the pine trees. Sharon and I have watched as it expanded over many years. You can see why the vine is considered invasive – it goes everywhere it’s allowed to go. Many of those places aren’t where you want it.

But, if you want to have an interesting vine/bush most of the year, and a spectacular blooming vine/bush in the Spring, you can diligently prune and shape it.

A couple of thoughts came to mind –

Some of our habits and activities, even if they’re good ones, can get out of hand. We need to keep them diligently pruned and shaped so that they don’t interfere with our following God.

This beauty began in one place at one particular time when the original vine was planted. That beginning has spread from tree to tree and, years later, is a forest of beauty. Our beauty comes from God – we can spread His beauty through love. And, at times, just one act of love, at a particular time, will spread into a forest of beauty in the years to come.

“Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'” Matt 25:37-40 ESV

God’s Faithfulness – Springtime is Here!

/ Bill Jones / 4 Comments
Dogwood, Cardinal and Springtime

Dogwood, Cardinal and Springtime

Some of our Winter days were more like Spring than the days since Spring began last week – it’s been wet and a bit cool (though,nowhere near as cold as some of you were). But, there are definitely signs of the change  in seasons – with trees and azaleas blooming everywhere. God’s faithfulness continues (Great is Thy Faithfulness!).

Sharon pointed this shot out to me – the dogwood blooms, bird feeder, fence and pump house.  “And wouldn’t it be great to get a cardinal in it!”.  So, when I went outside to take the shot,  the cardinal and the Lord blessed it.

It made me think of how the Lord blesses us even when we’re not expecting it. All the little (and big) surprises He gives us  if we just pay attention. What a wonderful God we have!

“O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.” Psalms 117 KJV

A Wicked Surprise in the Back Forty

/ Bill Jones / 8 Comments
Thorny Vines

Thorny Vines

Thorny Fine Closeup

Thorny Vine Closeup

A wicked surprise in the back forty!

When I cleared out the underbrush in the area of cut pines (referred to as the new landscape area in previous blogs), I found a lot of self started pine seedlings. I couldn’t bring myself to pull them up and throw them on the brush pile, so, I decided to replant them in other areas – like the “back forty”. I call it that because it is the back of the property – nowhere near forty acres – maybe 2?

I took my bundle of seedlings, used a hand held edger as a dibble, and started walking and planting in no particular pattern. I backed up in one place and felt something grabbing my pants leg. When I looked down I saw the most wicked vine I’ve ever seen. I looked around it and found it was one of several in a group as seen in the picture. When I showed Sharon the picture, she said I needed something to kill them graveyard dead. I think she’s right.

Several thoughts come to mind. I can imagine these as the vines around the castle where Sleeping Beauty was (or was it Snow White?). Either way, a Prince Charming would have to be strong and courageous to take them on.

It definitely is a picture of the results of man’s fall into sin. Imagine the beauty of other vines like jasmine and clematis, in contrast to these.

And, especially imagine a crown of thorns made of these. What a brutal thing to endure. Yet, our Lord endured the cross and the thorns and the humiliation all for the joy set before Him – the salvation of His children! Praise the Lord for His Love.

“looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2 ESV