SPRING?

Because its spring? (Even though the temperature outside today doesn’t really match up to my idea of what it should feel like), Yard work is usually something that is on everyone’s to-do list.  Our home is nestled in by a gazillion pine trees, which mean we only have a sparse part of our yard that actually grows grass, and our pine needles have no place really to go except in the back of a really big trailer that finds its way to the landfill every year.

 Why do we rake?  Good question, I have often asked myself that question.  Every year, since we trimmed the branches way up on the trees and raked the needles, there has been improvement on the amount of grass that we see finding its way to cover our lawn.  Every time that we add a few yards of topsoil and grass seed and give our yard just a little more care…we see even more promise.

  In the spring the yard always looks so terrible, because of the surface of dead grass, pine needles leaves, and sticks that have accumulated over the winter season.  Hope for our yard is birthed once more as the first sweeps of the rake reveal new green grass.  Raking is certainly a chore, and a large task.  I look forward to it with reservation…blisters (even with gloves)…sore hands…and yet with excitement...the freshness of the yard, work accomplished, flowerbed cleaned out, and the sprouting of plants bursting out of the freshly overturned soil.

Of course, all of this makes me think of the spiritual land of our hearts.  We have to tend to it through all the seasons of our life.  There is a time for everything…sometimes we do not want to till up the soil of our hearts, remove the dead grass, sticks, and needles…but when we are led to do it, we get to see the beauty of the new life springing forth…sure, there is pain from the work, but…don’t lose heart…we will reap if we continue.  We will continue to see even more promise springing up.