Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Not a plastic bouquet of nothing

I took a walk in the park yesterday with my boyfriend. It was amazing! I promised him I would make him a co-author of this note today, since he was the one who pointed some of this stuff out to me. Being outside is so good for the soul. You can see creation at its best- and understand your purpose in the big scheme of things. The most important picture I get when I am outside around nature if that of GROWTH and the process of it.


There is so much to be said of growth and how it works, but I just want to pin point a few of them:
  1. Seasons are so important in determinging the overall growth in plant life. This is true of our hearts too. It is something that happens naturally, organically- in the right season. A spring flower cannot bloom in the middle of winter. The elements around it would kill it. But instead, it is preparing the seed inside it, protecting it, nurturing it, getting it ready to bloom for the next two seasons. Our hearts are the same. There are seasons when we recieve healing. There are seasons when we feel things stirring on the inside. And then, there are seasons when its time to stand up, to speak out, and show our colors inside! Its important that we find out what season we are in right now and rest in that.
  2. Travis said, "Did you know that leaves don't really fall? They get pushed off by the buds growing out of the tree. They don't just fall off." This paints a great picture of how when we are seeking growth- the Holy Spirit inside of us will begin to "push" the dead things in us off as the new emurges. I think this process can only occur if we ARE seeking growth in HIM. If not, then we will be walking around with dead leaves/ fruit on us waiting for something to happen. It WILL happen if we are seeking Him. He will change us and He will produce new life inside of us if we will let him push that stuff off!
  3. Roots. They go deep. I saw this as I have been gardening in my yard this past weekend. There is so much going on under the surface that we don't even know about! Good and bad. There are roots, even  if you have killed the tree, that can only be removed by years of cultivating the soil. Over and over again hoeing and shoveling through the roots and the surrounding areas with grace and truth. It is a continual process of digging deeper, and dispelling the roots with years of cultivation and work. (Good thing He did thew work already for us, we just have to believe!)This is how the Lord heals the deep places inside of our hearts- He renews us with his words of truth, and we co-labor with Him in the process to not let the roots stay as they were underneath the soil of our hearts.
  4. The ground had been burned in the park. Maybee some of you have, but I had never seen this done before. I saw a lot of ash, and to me, it look like dead life. Travis explained to me that burning is what they do when they want the plants to bring new growth. WOW. So you burn it with fire... and in the next season it will grow back more plentiful than before? I don't think I need to explain this one...
I am working on the soil of my heart. Pursuing growth is tough sometimes. Its easier to just do what everyone else around me is doing. But I know that the fruit of my journey will bring lasting fruit that will feed many. It may be tough, but I will do what it takes to not just be a plastic bouquet of nothing.

2 comments:

  1. Sarajane! i read your blog where you told everyone how you loved that i started this blog. it made me cry! not just you loving it, but that you told everyone and I hope the right people read it now because you did that. i love u girly! god bless you on your trips!

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