May 7th, 2021
Earlier in the day…
There's both a great anticipation and dread going into this day… there’s a list looming over my head and scribbled out on paper longer than I’d prefer.
There are back-to-back-to-back-to-back exciting events lined up straight in a row, mapping out this weekend’s timeline. A final district tennis match, graduation from college for our oldest, a celebratory dinner, Mother’s Day, and district doubles tennis tournaments beginning Monday… It’s probably why my jaw hurts more than normal. Oh wait - let me just insert the oral surgeon into my list while I remember.
The performer in me is creeping out. The efficient, organized, no nonsense duty-driven worker bee is poised and ready for action.
But the jaw pain is making me weary. People I live with aren’t fully on board with “the plan,” and even while I’m checking stuff off the list, it’s growing.
It’s ‘gonna be a really rough ride unless I get myself settled down here today.
A little while later…
I came to check on the garden in the cool of the morning… I stooped over the garden boxes, checking for growth, weeds, pests, and noticed that despite the colder than normal temps overnight… the plants seem happy. Thriving… not worrying like I am when I look at next week’s temperature lows.
The strawberries are blooming where they’re planted. Spreading like wildfire throughout the lettuce heads, the snap peas are clinging to the trellis just like they’re created to do, and the radishes are filling out nicely - trying to satisfy their thirty day maturity date… the garden is well.
My morning routine includes caring for them despite how I feel… despite the seemingly invisible moment by moment growth…
I tend because I’m the gardener.
And there it is! The truth bomb dropped on my day… that cataclysmic reminder - that I, too, have a Gardener who tends His gardens.
He allows me to cling - like the snap peas- to the trellises of grace. His grace which is sufficient for all…
He allows me to bloom where I’m planted - like the strawberry plants - because of mercy - even propagating into areas I hadn’t considered…
He fills my cup and satisfies me in the morning - like the radishes - because His faithfulness is new every morning.
Ok… My time in the garden with Gardener is complete. We are in a better spot than earlier…
As the sun sets:
Closing out today with a steady and grateful heart… The last minute steamer purchase a few hours ago is going to save any graduation gown embarrassment tomorrow! Katerina is so nervous about everything concerning tomorrow. Terrified she will trip on the stage, or do something embarrassing… Oh to be twenty and worry like that again -
Daniel’s tennis team won district finals and now move along to states in a few weeks. My momma’s heart saw him fight to finish strong. I saw the sweat pouring down his face, the exhaustion in trying to keep his feet moving… I saw him steady and quiet his nerves on the court.
Because, afterall, the court is really just a training ground for real life. I saw him smile with approval when his opponent made an amazing shot. I saw a man of God diligently and tenaciously fight to encourage his team both corporately and personally. He is not mine - He belongs to another… I only have the pleasure of stewarding his heart for a season -
Tonight my heart is full.
Satisfied… Blessed -
So grateful for mercy…
