Blessed By Abundance

Originally posted on July 16, 2011

I’m blogging this morning to avoid heading for my garden where I know there will be even MORE zucchini and yellow squash waiting for me and I’m already overwhelmed! I feel like I’ve frozen enough to get us through every week this winter and my arms cramp when I try to grate anymore!!! If you aren’t in KS and haven’t seen the map — it’s sweltering HOT here so turning on my oven to bake zucchini bread, muffins, or cake does not appeal to me either.

But…the reality as I thought about my garden for a bit this morning was how much it’s like my life. The truth is — I’m going to be THRILLED this winter when all those vegetables are an arm’s length away in my freezer. It’s truly a blessing to have so much being provided through the garden — like God’s love, His grace, His mercy, His forgiveness! All…seemingly endless (like my squash and tomato supply at the moment). Even when we don’t think we deserve it, or don’t understand why God sacrificed His own son on our behalf (or when I wonder why I planted so many zucchini plants)…still the gift keeps on giving and we’re blessed none-the-less.

So true is it also that my garden is rapidly producing weeds as well. Just as many, if not more, bad stuff grows in my garden as good stuff and I can go out planning to just one tiny section and spend hours trying to stay caught up with the weeding. But do I do that in my own life? Do I spend hours trying to cultivate only the good and tending to my heart to make sure the bad is weeded out?

I have resolved to be even more thankful for my garden despite being overwhelmed and count it all a blessing just as I’m overwhelmed by God’s grace, mercy, and love. But too — I know I need to spend more time “weeding” my heart of selfishness, pride, impatience and other such nasty weeds that threaten to take over if I’m not careful.

Heavenly Father — I thank you for the abundance of blessings in my life. I give you glory, honor, and praise for the work you’ve done in and through me. I’m overwhelmed by your endless love. Lord help me to weed my heart of the ugliness that exists. Lord help to walk in your ways. Amen