Garden

Recently a friend of mine has been talking a lot about savoring the small things in life and just what that means exactly. And I’m always struck by how often we just don’t. We don’t notice the birds singing outside our windows when we wake up to a brand new day, full of possibilities. We don’t notice the small things our husbands do for us to show us that they love us. We don’t remember the vibrancy of a clear spring day.


I woke up this morning with a different attitude. The last 2 weeks, I’ve been rushing. With a new job, volunteering, bible studies, meeting with mentors and mentees, multiple social get-togethers with food obligations, and cleaning my entire house before my parents’ arrival, I was beat. But I loved it. I loved it because I actually like being busy… not necessarily to that degree, but I like checking off things on my to-do list. It gives me a purpose, so to speak.

But is this really a purpose? Was I made to fulfill a certain amount of obligations so that what is felt is some smug satisfaction of self-worth?

Last Sunday in my small group at church, we watched a video by Ed Dobson (Grand Rapids people – he was the pastor of Calvary for years) who has ALS. He made a documentary series on what he has been learning through dying. And the segment we watched was entitled “Garden”. It was about purpose. Real purpose. And what environment you grow in and foster growth in others. Here is this man who has obviously devoted his life to the service of God, and who openly admits that he didn’t find his purpose until God allowed his life to go from 100 to 0. If you’ve experienced 100 to 0, you know what I’m talking about. My lesser example was from going from about 30 different hats that I wore in GR to about 2 in Cincinnati. From all my different ventures to simply just Ross’s wife was really hard for me.

In Ed’s experience, he learned that by connecting with others one on one, he was fulfilling his purpose more pointedly than preaching to hundreds each Sunday. His garden was meeting with others individually and helping them with their lives.

So what’s my garden? What’s the point? We decided it had a lot to do with being faithful to what is right in front of you. Noticing things that we tend not to notice, but certainly would if we thought we were dying any day. I’m struck by how little beauty I acknowledge in my world when it so evident before me. How my God screams to be noticed in every waking moment and how I rush past him in order to get my stack of responsibilities finished. I don’t tend my garden nearly as well I should.

So this morning, I woke up a little differently. I lay in bed for the first 10 minutes just listening to the birds singing outside, even before the first light of day emerged. I got up, made a mug of steaming hot tea, took my latest good read (Cutting for Stone) out to the porch, and sat in the sun and read. And got immersed in the story. And felt the warmth on my skin. And noticed my tree in the front, just beginning to bloom. And thanked the Lord for the small things in my life, which I just take for granted so often.

Because it’s true, isn’t it? That your garden is right in front of you. And you aren’t necessarily suppose to pack your bags and head to the mission field or say yes to everything opportunity at church, you’re just suppose to bloom where you’re planted. Right now, in the present. And make all your life something beautiful for God (Mother Teresa).