Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Tending The Garden

Do you ever get those gloomy days when you'd rather stay in bed? Every day, right? I had one of those days this past week. I was alone, it was cloudy and raining. I was feeling kind of depressed. So, what did I do? I wrote to a friend who always makes me smile. The next thing I knew I was smiling and feeling great!

Do you have people like that in your life? I sure hope so. They are a treasure! But those relationships can fade away and even disappear if we don't keep them alive.

Relationships are like plants in a garden. We plant seeds in the spring. That's an effort of hope and faith right there. And once the seeds sprout and a plant begins to grow, it needs some things. Nutrients from the soil, water and sunlight.

What makes our relationships grow? I think there has to be a healthy dose of love - some kind of bond. My wife has many friends but her closest friends she does stuff with. They'll go shopping of go out to eat. They keep their relationships alive by doing things together.

I recently retired from work but I still go back there. Why? Because I have relationships with the people there that I would like to keep alive and active. I love my friends and want to keep them in my life so I work at it. I water the garden. I try to spread love in THEIR lives and they do the same in mine.

God loves healthy relationships.

Sadly, my relationship with God sputters sometimes when I don't spend time with Him. I'll forget to pray or read and then I wonder why I'm feeling so depressed. It's because one of my most treasured relationships is dying. That's NOT a good thing.

As you go through this day, and you think about one of your friends, send them a message or give them a phone call. Let them know that you care about them and love them. That's the best way to keep your relationship garden alive and thriving.

The day before Jesus died guess what He did? He went for a walk with His friends in a garden. Before the fall guess what Adam and God were doing? Walking in a garden.

"15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." - Genesis 2:15

If our friends and family are OUR garden, what would God have US do?

In The Garden - Alan Jackson

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