There are things inside of me that can only be worked out in the dirt. Yes, gardening settles my soul and silences my mental chatter. A welcome respite to be sure, planting roses, pulling weeds, and arranging flower pots puts me at ease.
Life doesn’t seem so tragic when I work the earth. In fact, the very act of digging my fingernails into the dirt awakens my spirit. I think about the balance that God crafts into nature. I marvel over the barrenness of winter acquiescing to spring.
Thoughts of summer’s abundance create awe inside of me. I stop to pop vine ripened tomatoes into my mouth and adorn the table with fresh-cut roses. My ambitions pale in comparison.
Seedlings of serenity grow among autumn harvests. My regretful mistakes, bad memories and worrisome musings trickle from my mind and collect in an angel’s basin. When I garden, I remember that someone somewhere cares more for my concerns than I do.
My husband and I just completed phase I of a new garden project. We ripped out old bushes and Justin built rust-colored lattice trellises for climbing roses that we painted. The project extended over several weeks and culminated with yesterday’s planting. This morning we sat on our patio, drank coffee, and admired the work of our hands.
I took pictures of plants, got my knees dirty so I could capture just the right angle when sunlight streams through misted petals. The spray splashed against my face. I felt close to the earth and absorbed the presence of peace.
Justin and I discussed future additions we envision and giggled over what we’ve become:
“Isn’t this what old people do?” I said. “Spend all their time in their gardens.”
He chuckled as he trimmed the red tips plants.
Yes, gardening relaxes our souls. When we garden on the weekend, we begin the new week with a fresh resolve to take life less seriously. Most importantly, we’re reminded to trust our Creator who promises to care for us:
25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?
JoDee Luna Art 
Very charming garden!
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Thank you Linda.
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More photo’s of the garden please….More MOre more! B
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Good post. I feel the same way about gardening. Your climbing roses are going to be gorgeous. So nice that you and your husband work together on these things.
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