Nip It in the Bud

When I was growing up on a small family farm in Colorado our family grew vegetables and sold them at a stand at our home. When we were old enough Dad planted a couple rows on the farm just for each of us kids. We could choose what to plant and Dad would plant it for us. It would then be our job to make sure that it got irrigated and weeded. We would have to do all the work of picking what we grew. But all the money we earned from those rows of vegetables would be ours to keep.

One year I planted okra, a good cash crop. It can be harvested several times through the summer and keeps producing as long as you keep cutting the pods. I grew green beans another year. A lot of work picking those, but it paid well.

I remember one year I decided to be lazy and planted red beets. I figured those only had to be harvested once. Just pull them up out of the ground and they are ready to sell. The only problem was that my laziness also carried over into my tending the beets. As the beets began to grow so did the weeds. But rather than pull the weeds I was lazy and just let them grow. I figured I could always pull them later when they got bigger.

Bad idea. What I did not count on was that the weeds became so numerous that they began to choke out the beets. Rather than having nice, round, beautiful, big beets I ended up with small, deformed, ugly beets. They did not sell well. And it was a TON of work just to get them out of the ground trying to work around all the weeds that were waist high by that time.

I learned a great lesson that season. Weed often. Take out the weeds when they are small. I am growing a garden this year. You can read my progress here and here. But this time, I go out to weed the garden every day. My hoe and I make quick work of the tiny weeds that poke up from day to day. It’s easy work because I don’t give the weeds a chance to grow. As Barney Fife would say, I “nip it in the bud.”

That’s what I try to do with my Christian life as well. When it comes to spiritual weeds, sin, I nip it in the bud. I make a habit of confessing often as soon the Spirit convicts. So most of the time I can avoid sin growing out of control in my life.  The Bible says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9).

How about you? Are you letting the weeds grow or cutting them off when they are small?
Also, check out my guest post at Larry Westfall's Pursuing a Life of Significance blog.

The Happiness of Serving

Last week we took a trip from our home in Grand Junction, Colorado to visit our daughters in Olathe, Kansas. Long drive (13-14 hours), short visit (about 3 days). But it was good to see my girls.

Of course when you go on a trip you always have to leave behind some things that need tending to. This time we didn’t have to ask someone to watch the dog since he got to go with us (he actually travels pretty well). But I did need to ask someone to watch over my garden and lawn. A couple weeks ago I told about my attempt at vegetable gardening this year.

In this part of Colorado (the Grand Valley on the Western slope) it can get very hot and dry. It’s high desert here. But the good news is that the Colorado River runs right through the valley and we have plenty of irrigation water. So lawns can stay green and gardens can continue to grow if we take the time to water them.

If I had just left on my trip for 5 days without asking someone to water the garden, I probably would have come back to an arid and shriveled up plot of useless soil. But contrary to my character (my wife says I am king of the procrastinators) I planned ahead. One of my gracious church members agreed to come over three times while I was gone to water my precious garden and lawn. I knew I could trust him, he is a man of integrity.

So while I was away I did not worry about my garden. It was in good hands. I enjoyed the visit without having to be concerned with things at home. I tried to compensate my friend for his time, but he just said he was glad to be able to serve.

Now look at my garden. The corn is about 10 inches tall; the tomatoes look great; the squash and cucumbers are coming up well; I am a happy gardener.

Jesus told a story about a man going on a trip. He called in his servants and entrusted his property to them. And he expected that they would be good stewards of their master’s money. After a long time the man returned and settled accounts with his servants. Some did better than others. But to each who trusted their master and served him well the master said, “Well done, good and faithful servant … come and share your master’s happiness.” (Matt. 25:21).

I was so happy to have a friend that served well for me while I was on my trip. And Jesus is happy when we serve well also. Here is a surprising thing that I learned from my friend: there is a great happiness in serving, both now and when the task is done.

We don’t have to wait ‘til heaven to enjoy the happiness of the Lord. There is happiness in serving—right here, right now.

What service has Jesus left to you today?

How have you found happiness in serving the Lord?

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Gardening. I am trying my hand at vegetable gardening this year. Although I grew up on a small farm where we grew vegetables for our family and also sold some, as an adult I have not grown much of anything. The last time I tried to grow a vegetable garden we lived in an old farm house outside of Gardner, Kansas. That was 16 years ago. That garden produced very little results. What the rabbits didn’t eat, the deer took care of. I cried, dreaming of all the veggies I was missing.

Now we live back in Colorado. Although our home here is in a residential subdivision it has a great garden spot on the south side of the house. It’s all fenced in and we now have a dog that should keep most of the critters away from our produce.

So far I have put into the garden a lot of hard work and about $40 worth of seeds and plants. My shovel and I spent several afternoons turning the soil over by hand, digging down about eight inches and breaking up the packed dirt. Then a wonderful member of my church brought his rototiller over and finished the job for me—thank you Dave!

A little over two weeks ago I planted the seeds and set out the tomato and pepper plants. Been watering and checking it daily. A few days ago I began to see signs of life. The corn is coming up along with the lettuce and radishes. Praise the Lord!

I really am thankful to God for making it grow. I know I can’t make it grow. I can plant seeds, water them and watch—but God makes it grow.

It’s the same way in our walk with Jesus and His work in the church. In the Bible Paul says, “So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.  Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.  For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field.” (1 Cor. 3:7-9).

As God’s fellow worker He can use me to plant the seeds of the good news and water that truth with love, but only God can save a soul. Only God can change a life. Only God can grow a church. And when He does, I have another reason to say, “Praise the Lord!”

Stay tuned. Each week I plan to give an update on how the garden is coming along (pictures and all). And maybe we will learn something about following Jesus as well.

How have your gardening experiences been?

How about your gospel sowing?