Gardening of the Soul

 Psalm 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Have you ever read an article or book on gardening? When you read it, does it make you a gardener? Of course not, we have to follow the instructions and actually do the planting in order to benefit from what we have read. The same principle applies to reading our Bible; the scriptures tell us that we are not just to be hearers of the Word but doers......it does make a difference!

God's Word can transform our lives if we will apply it's principles to our lives and can grow us spiritually. If we read it and don't apply it would it give us the same benefit? We choose what to do with the information just like we choose when we read the gardening books. We have to apply that knowledge into planting and learn from all our mistakes. For instance,  when I began gardening it was A LOT of failure at first, then I would try again and I never gave up. I remember the first time a neighbor walked by and said, “your garden is beautiful.”  I was so thrilled and realized after many, many years of trial and error I finally was a gardener....now people are always asking advice on how and what to grow because they know I have the knowledge and experience. Did I obtain it from just reading the many books and magazines? No, it took a lot of years and I had to actually get down in the dirt and get dirty, disappointed, and all that comes from cultivating a garden. 

We are to meditate and memorize God's Word so that it will be in our hearts and live out in our lives!

Took this picture on my walk January 15, 2012.

Unloved!

When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, “The Lord has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.” Then she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon. She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi. And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she stopped bearing. Genesis 29:31-35

Jacob didn't love Leah but instead loved her sister Rachel. This story is usually told according to the perspective of how Jacob and Rachel must have felt at being tricked by her father Laban into marrying Leah. Let's take time to consider how Leah must have felt having to marry a man who was in love with her sister. No matter what Leah did right her husbands heart belonged to Rachel. That takes sibling rivalry to a whole new level.

According to these verses it sounds like she held on to some hope that he would come to love her eventually. She really shows unconditional love to her husband because you don't hear her complaining. God blessed her for her faithfulness to her husband by giving her so many children plus a longer life than her sister Rachel and she was buried with her husband Jacob. He did come to the end of his life treating her with great respect and the honor she deserved.

Leah teaches with her life to trust God no matter the circumstances. To never lose hope and especially to never complain of the situation you find yourself.  God allows these trials in our life to refine our faith or the faith of others!

 This picture was taken in Savannah, Georgia on March 2013.

The Power Of Words

 "The tongue has the power of life and death." Proverbs 18:21

Our words can create life or create death. We can speak blessing or speak curse. What are we saying to those around us? Are we complaining or are we rejoicing? The words of negativity can kill our spirit and the spirit of those around us. Is there any bitterness coming from our lips? Are we building up those around us? 

With our tongues we can lie, gossip and argue or we can be honest, uplift others and be a  peacemaker. Children automatically begin to say the word "no" as toddlers. It is in our nature to do wrong so we have to live intentionally to do right. We need to remind ourselves to keep our speech pure and right. The scriptures are telling us the importance of the words we speak.

Have you ever been around anyone whose words make you feel ill? We all know people who speak with such toxic words that we cannot be around them for very long. We really need to evaluate our own speech to be sure we are not the person guilty of spreading toxic words to those around us. 

"Keep your mouth closed and you’ll stay out of trouble."  Proverbs 21:23

 Flowers in my garden June 2013.