Nature Detective

My younger son shares my passion for outdoors. He is very content exploring and wandering through the yard. The other day I handed my son a magnifying glass and told him to go discover something new in nature. As I sat with older brother at the patio table working on a math lesson, my little detective occasionally came running over to show off a new treasure to add to his nature collection. In the past his collection has included pine cones, rocks, shells, feathers and even a frog skeleton. No wonder his excitement when an abandoned bird egg was spotted balancing precariously in a low pine tree branch. With no nest in sight, I retrieved the egg and reminded my son about the fragile shell. Immediately he was concerned that the momma bird couldn't keep it warm if we put it in his collection. We decided to build a new little grass nest for it and watch for the momma bird to come back. He gathered some grass and weeds and then joined us at the table to chat about the morning's events.

Later I began to think about how that magnifying glass led to such interesting discoveries. I've decided the Bible is a little like a magnifying glass. It helps me see more clearly the beauty of God's love for me. And through it I see where I need to reflect more of God and less of me. Time to go take a closer look.

Weeds

I have weeds in my yard. As common as this is I can't help being upset by it. You see, just before Spring rolled around the corner I began planning my dream yard, complete with vegetable and flower gardens.

So as the grass began to wake from Winter's slumber it received a yummy fertilization. We top-dressed all the garden bed's with stimulating compost. Finally my children and I labored over many new seeds, bulbs and tender sunflower and bean plants, grown as school experiments.

Exciting stuff, right? Except weeds were not part of my plan! And now I wander the yard so distracted from all the emerging beauty by these blasted weeds.

I'm realizing that no matter how big and beautiful my dreams for this yard are it is going to take lots daily effort to maintain and nurture. Sounds familiar to the way God watches over my life. I have big plans that inevitably produce some weeds. I know that just as I root up those weeds in my yard God has some rooting up to do in my life. It's going to be hard work, for both of us. Maybe if I keep dreaming of the beauty it won't hurt so much.