I’ve written about our little rectangle of green growing goodness in the middle of the sky. It has been more than a mini-garden. It has been a daily reminder, growing there greenly, to bloom where we’re planted.
Most of us experience a new place or a new culture at some time during our lives. And change can be threatening as well as exciting. We’re mostly creatures of pattern and habit, and the old offers all the comfort of familiarity. We’ve enjoyed the former patterns and places. We’ve been so happy here, we say on moving day, standing in strangely empty rooms, staring at shoe-prints in the dust. The memories are strong, they’re coming along, but they mustn’t bind us. It’s those words I’ve heard all my life: “You need to look where you’re going.” There are new joys ahead.
I know people who always seem disgruntled because here-right-now simply won’t get its act together and become there-back-then. I’ve encountered plenty of Americans who fault England for not behaving like the United States. Jim Elliot wouldn’t like this attitude. He took as his motto, “Wherever you are, be all there.” Jonathan Edwards wouldn’t like it either. My favorite of his oft-quoted Resolutions: “Resolved, to live with all my might while I do live.” Perhaps it’s too easy for me to say all this because, most gratefully I say it, I love Oxford. But truly there are things I don’t love, I just don’t want to dwell on them. I don’t believe that’s the way that happiness lies.
How does your garden grow? Are you where you are? And has God given you fruit?
Thank you for this timely and encouraging post!
I’m praising the Lord for the sweet reminders He gives to savor where I am; one of my favorite passages in scripture is the bit in Lamentations 3, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul,’therefore I will hope in him.’” Lately I’ve seen His faithful hand more and more around me; praise Him it was always there and I am seeing it now.
Those two quotes are very encouraging!
Thank you for this comment, Elena! I love that passage and hadn’t thought of it–I’m so glad you added it to this. Be blessed!
God has blessed us with fruit – strawberries to be exact but the bunnies have been eating them. Be thankful for pest free gardening as small as it may be.
No, seriously, I love your writing and encouragement to think a bit deeper and ‘be here now’ I’m still learning that. Happy Gardening!
And to you, dear Krisie!