Ensuring Lasting Beauty

This time of year, this place on our property is my favorite place. I love this sweet little water feature - and since I didn't design it and didn't plant the flowers around it, I think it's okay that I talk about just how awesome it is. When the waterfall was put it in (the water feature in that location when we moved in was NOT a good match for us) - the landscapers put in these little plants - assuring us they would be pretty - but I had no idea they would spread so much and produce such sweet little blue flowers. They reappear and spread even more each year, I can count on seeing them by Mothers' Day......

However, these precious blue flowers aren't the only wildlife that like the environment by the water. Grass likes to root itself in there - as well as little dandelion weeds and so forth. But, the most nasty of these is this:

See those little tiny yellow flowers in that pic? They look innocent enough, huh? In fact, one year, I decided to let them co-exist with the blue flowers, thinking it would be pretty. But, the flowers on these WEEDS are fleeting, and pretty much it just takes over - leaving in its wake these ugly brown clover like plants.

Because I care so much about this waterfall, I've become quite protective of it this year. Not a week goes by (sometimes even a day) that I'm not squatted down pulling these nasty creatures out - sometimes at the expense of the pretty blue flowers, but knowing it has to be done. Otherwise, it will take over.

So far, the water feature is still looking good. I'm proud of it. But, as I write with my eyes brimming with tears right now, I'm humbled with the obvious parallel. As vigilant as I've been with this object of outward pride - that will be less than beautiful in just a few months - how much time have I taken to weed out my own soul lately? Have I bothered to daily inspect the weeds that are taking root - much less taking the effort to pluck them from my daily life? Even more so, have I bothered to water the positive flowers in my life - with the Living Water - with God's word like I should?

As you can tell by the plethora of memorable blog posts- full of pictures and fun, there hasn't been a lot of down time in my life lately. The time that I have had, has been quickly guarded, my own "selfish time" - that by golly, I deserve! But, it doesn't satisfy - nor does all the fun satisfy, pretty soon, even that, even the GLORIOUS OREGON SUNSHINE doesn't bring the same happiness that I would expect it to bring. It all comes back to Him who does satisfy - and if I've spent enough time in His presence. The answer lately, is "NO". Thank God for the worship times with CCF lately and great sermons at church, but that's hardly enough sustenance.

So, here's to making more than just my water-feature beautiful and weed-free........