A Lesson Spiritual Gardening...

Well, the Ramapos are really taking off! I had to go and buy a 9'-0" stake to support them... (Last year they were starting to grown on top of the garage roof)



Anywho :)

This past week I have been doing a lot of soul searching and re-reading one of my favorite books:
"All the Joy You Can Stand" by Debrena Jackson Gandy...

Now inspirational and self motivating literature may not be your "thing" but I really felt like I needed to share this one section because it is something that I am forcing myself to live everyday - and I have come to lean on this philosophy in everything I do...
This past week was rough for me and I even found myself breaking down a couple of times... But I know that everyone has a set of cycles and seasons in their lives and everyday (no matter how rough) is just part of this journey and ultimate adventure :)


Becoming a Spiritual Gardener...

1. If you are not reaping the size, quantity or quality of the "fruit" in the form of results, outcomes, or goals you'd like, you must better prepare, cultivate, and fertilize your soil. Remember, manure is "waste", but it makes for great fertilizer. A masterful "gardener" can take waste and transform it into something that supports growth. You recognize that the quality of your soil determines the quality of the 'fruit" you bear.

2. Faith and patience are necessary in spiritual gardening because all growth is not above ground. God works in visible and non-visible ways.

3. You have to understand that God has placed the "blueprint" for success within the seed. It is up to you to activate it.

4. You understand that you will always be given other opportunities to plant. There are no mistakes, only "learnings"  with spiritual gardening.

5. Death is a part of the spiritual gardening process. When something comes to an end, it is transformed and the process continues. In the mind of the spiritual gardener, death is not inherently bad or negative. it is a part of the process. It can signify a rebirth or set the stage for a powerful new beginning.

6. When the seed, season, soil, timing, and conditions are "right", the seed takes root, pushes up through the ground and bears "fruit".

7. The spiritual gardener is able to take manure and transform it into fertilizer. You know that all that smells and looks bad can be used for good if you know how to transform it.

8. The spiritual gardener knows that even if all of the conditions are right, the unexpected can still occur and wipe out what you've grown. You are not in control ultimately. You also know that you can begin again. This, too, is part of the process.