Thought for the day: Every garden may have some weeds.
English proverb
Keeping away from strife is an honor for a man, but any fool will quarrel.
Proverbs 20:3 NASB
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I love my garden. Sometimes I find myself stressing over it when it is in need of tilling and weeding, but I still love it. I think that everyone who is recovering from alcohol and drug addictions should find a spot somewhere to grow plants. It teaches us responsibility for other living things. The garden spot that I have has been in my family for many years. My great grand father had a garden there, my grand father had a garden there, my mother growing up worked in the same garden, and now I have the privilege of using the garden spot for my summer vegetables. The garden size is 45 feet by 80 feet, and takes time to tend. Seven years ago when I first sobered up, by the grace of God, I planted a vegetable garden. It produced, but not really very well. The ground had lain fallow for several years and was what I would consider unhealthy soil. I see this in myself also at that time in my life. After years of personal neglect due to my self-centered addictions my physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual life was very unhealthy. I planted the next year with the same results, a below average harvest. The next two years after that were a little better, improvement was slow. Then I started using straw around some of the plants during the growing season to help keep the weeds down and I found that as I plowed it under the next year the soil developed a different texture, it appeared healthier. The next few years I applied lime and fertilizer and the results are very noticeable. Healthy plants dont just spring up and produce a harvest; they must be cared for on a regular basis. One thing I have noticed about gardens is that you have to prepare the ground and sow seeds to produce vegetables, but weeds they just grow without any help at all. Strange isnt it? I have noticed changes in my own life similar to my gardens over the past seven years. Most meaningful changes in our lives take time and continual care and maintenance. As I daily read the word of God, dont drink or use, attend church, go to meeting and become willing to help others, the quality of my harvest is good, and seems to improve from year to year. There are many factors in having a healthy garden, soil, light, water, nutrition, but one of the most important factors is continual care. Neglect will overtake us very quickly when allowed. The weeds in our lives, which I call character defects, will overtake our gardens if we dont daily tend to them. I am so grateful for the lessons that God has taught me about myself through the everyday things in my life. God is doing for me what I could not do for myself JRE
Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of my love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you. (Hosea 10:12 NLT)
English proverb
Keeping away from strife is an honor for a man, but any fool will quarrel.
Proverbs 20:3 NASB
[FONT=Times New Roman] [/FONT]
I love my garden. Sometimes I find myself stressing over it when it is in need of tilling and weeding, but I still love it. I think that everyone who is recovering from alcohol and drug addictions should find a spot somewhere to grow plants. It teaches us responsibility for other living things. The garden spot that I have has been in my family for many years. My great grand father had a garden there, my grand father had a garden there, my mother growing up worked in the same garden, and now I have the privilege of using the garden spot for my summer vegetables. The garden size is 45 feet by 80 feet, and takes time to tend. Seven years ago when I first sobered up, by the grace of God, I planted a vegetable garden. It produced, but not really very well. The ground had lain fallow for several years and was what I would consider unhealthy soil. I see this in myself also at that time in my life. After years of personal neglect due to my self-centered addictions my physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual life was very unhealthy. I planted the next year with the same results, a below average harvest. The next two years after that were a little better, improvement was slow. Then I started using straw around some of the plants during the growing season to help keep the weeds down and I found that as I plowed it under the next year the soil developed a different texture, it appeared healthier. The next few years I applied lime and fertilizer and the results are very noticeable. Healthy plants dont just spring up and produce a harvest; they must be cared for on a regular basis. One thing I have noticed about gardens is that you have to prepare the ground and sow seeds to produce vegetables, but weeds they just grow without any help at all. Strange isnt it? I have noticed changes in my own life similar to my gardens over the past seven years. Most meaningful changes in our lives take time and continual care and maintenance. As I daily read the word of God, dont drink or use, attend church, go to meeting and become willing to help others, the quality of my harvest is good, and seems to improve from year to year. There are many factors in having a healthy garden, soil, light, water, nutrition, but one of the most important factors is continual care. Neglect will overtake us very quickly when allowed. The weeds in our lives, which I call character defects, will overtake our gardens if we dont daily tend to them. I am so grateful for the lessons that God has taught me about myself through the everyday things in my life. God is doing for me what I could not do for myself JRE
Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of my love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you. (Hosea 10:12 NLT)
