Seven years ago, I felt like I was on top of the world. My family and I spent a month traveling around the country, with the Grand Canyon as the main attraction. A year later, we had enough money to put an addition on our house, giving each of our 3 children the privacy of their own room. With the summers off as a teacher, a good paying hard-scaping job provided the extra funds to buy accessories for this new project. However, as I cut my grass today, I realized that I have slowly allowed the world around me to fall apart.
By foregoing a few upgrades on our addition, there is now a water fall directly under the front door during each rain storm. This lack of foresight has led to a now rotted door frame which needs to be replaced. Recognizing I didn’t have the financial resources to maintain my yard properly in the spring, I waited to see what would happen without applying fertilizer, lime or weed and feed. The consequence has been a yard of clovers, weeds and vegetation more suitable for a jungle than a neighborhood. The appearance of the exterior of my home highlights that lack of care, concern and priority I possess for having a green thumb.
When you don’t set aside time for things or make it a priority, decay often follows. When neglect turns to denial, people’s lives can fall apart. On the other hand, you don’t want to waste your life trying to pretend to be happy on the outside, yet when the camera is off, you’re a wreck. Thus, balance is crucial, Philippians 2:4, taking care of your own needs before you can be of any help to others. Honestly, I don’t know if my yard can be saved, but for those around me, hurting or in need of encouragement, that is where I need to invest my time for now. Take part in this spiritual harvest, Matthew 9:37-38.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 