Today I had the fortune of having a child unable to attend school.... I really didn't want to go back to work today so welcomed the authentic excuse to stay off!!
I spent the afternoon in my garden..... and managed to catch up on some weeding that I haven't got round to doing whilst my little one slept. I am now also on a race to get certain plants I've been nurturing planted so that I can allow myself to get some more!! I follow a very strict reward system for myself!!
This is one of my favourite times in the garden and in particular for one flower, the alium. Mine are now starting to burst out and take their cylindrical shape... so every day is alium watch - i am the bill oddie of the purple flower...! I get such a pleasure from these plants - they give me joy to look at.
Last year I landscaped my back garden and planted masses of trees and shrubs to get the basic structure in. I am now taking the time to start to plant the flowers I want in the garden and am trying to develop a 'purple garden'. I'm equally trying to develop a garden that won't take too much watering so am using lots of lavender and wanting to think about a french style of planting with flowers that can cope with arid conditions.... I have masses of twisted willows planted to make screening - today they were swaying merrily in the wind and were like an adventure playground for lots of pretty birds who danced and jumped around in them. I love these trees but they do have a tendency to go completely bonkers!! In fact whilst trying to weed one area today and plant new plants I became completely entwined in one today!! I'm not a tree hugger - trees are hugging me!!
I have potted up another 10 trees today (just in case I didn't think I had enough!!) I'm running out of mini greenhouse space for my veg that's coming along so I need to start selling some bits and bobs on - in my fundraising efforts for my childrens' ex nursery's summer fete - which is one of the most fantastic nurturing places for little ones. Every chance I have to give something back to them I do...
I now want to learn how to take cuttings from my twisted willows as I have the vague idea of bringing some on and selling them to friends and donating the money to an overseas charity dealing with famine relief/water aid. we all have to do our little bit.
Something amazing happens when I put my hands in soil..... I seem to enter a different space.... i become completely engrossed, kind've grounded, and creative all in one.... I really do enjoy it.
I find some sense of spirituality in gardening. I like to make conntections between my garden and me. My garden as a representation of me..... For example: I weed with vigour - just how I would like God to deal with me. I am starting to collect some plants that have a biblical reference: e.g. I have an olive tree in a pot - 'But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever.' Psalm 52 v 8. The theme of purple (with dashes of scarlet) is inspired by Proverbs 31 - A Woman of Noble Character. I have bought some hyssop seeds which I will propogate tomorrow Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean', Psalm 51 v 7.
I have a thought about how I would like to get as many of the plants from the Song of Songs as possible into my garden..... that is one my most favourite books in the bible because of the amazing intimacy between us and our beloved. In particular I really like the way that Hannah Hurnard made an association between the nine spices named in song of songs Songs 4: 13 and 14 and the fruits of the spirit (Gal 5:22) ...
'You are an orchard that puts forth pomegranates and other precious fruits, henna and nard - nard, saffron and aromatic cane, cinnamon and all kinds of frankincense trees, myrrh, aloes, all the best spices. You are a garden fountain, a spring of running water, flowing down from the L'vanon' Song of Songs 4: 3-14
pomegranate is love, camphire is joy, spikenard is peace, saffron is longsuffering, calamus is gentleness, cinnamon is goodness, frankinsense is faith, myrrh is meekness, aloes is self-control.
It would be lovely to create those smells in my garden but I'm only an amateur and not up to the job I don't think!! imagine that culmination of smells....
is this why it says in Corinthians "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life." 2 Corinthians 2:14
Imagine what a fragrance we can be to God....
Song of Songs 4: 16: the beloved says: 'Awake, north wind! Come south wind! Blow on my garden to spread its fragrance. let my darling enter his garden and eat its finest fruit'.
A good friend, the other day, referred to the beloved inviting the north winds and the south as the surrender to all of life's circumstances. Both the warm south winds - the place of comfort with God and also the North winds which are harsh and cold and symbolise the place of dicomfort, harsh situations. Often situations that God can use to grow us! That all will result in a fragrant offering to God....
lots of food for thought for me there.....
1 comment:
You need to preach sister!!
I've enjoyed your musings :-)
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