Lesson In The Lawn

It has been my desire to write a post for several days

However I have been experiencing a stressful situation

That has caused me to feel physically ill in recent days

So I have not had the energy to sit at my computer

Yet tonight (after my sister made me take a walk with her)

I decided to get up out of my 'easy' chair

And do a little catching up 

After I lost Mark I went into a rather deep depression

I functioned only enough to 'survive'

But did not do anything of substance for many months

The remnants of that season

Began to show vividly around The Place this past summer

The above photo was taken during the late summer

Early fall and is of my backyard lawn

What lawn you say?

Yes, I ignored it for all those months

No water, no trimming, no nurturing, no anything

Death had not only overtaken my heart

But my lawn as well

As I began to breathe and begin to feel again

I decided to plant a winter lawn

We never had winter lawn before

Mark rather disliked the extra work it required

But I wanted needed something green
Something Alive Again

So I mowed, thatched, seeded and fertilized this barren area

Soon, sprouts and sprigs began to pop up all over

Signs of life

Signs of regeneration

Signs of newness

Certainly not much at first

Patchy and thin

Yet, springing up non the less

Eventually more and more patchy areas began coming up

The lawn was becoming thicker and filled in

Each day I would wonder outside just to see the progress

Slow at first but soon it was truly beginning to look like lawn

I look this photo a couple of weeks ago

There are still patchy barren spots

But mostly it has become a beautiful

Green lawn that I definitely enjoy looking at

And my granddaughters have even been enjoying playing outside

The weather has been wonderful

And it is a precious gift of life to watch them play and run on the lawn

What have I learned?

I am just like the lawn

In those months post my husband's passing

All aspects of life within me had died

I was lifeless, depressed, dry, and dead for all intents and purposes

Then one day

God began plowing, planting and tending

I began to feel again

To have hope, peace and even joy

I am still rough around the edges

I continue to have many dry and barren patches

God has much work ahead of Him

There is much tending to still be done in this area of land

But from a distance I'm lookin' fairly well

Thank you for journeying with me friends

I'm considering YOU with Joy,

Cindy