Happiness That Doesn’t Depend on What Happens: The Joy of Cultivating God’s World

Spent the entire weekend working in the yard and developing the new garden. I am giddy as a child at Christmas with how it’s all coming together. It brings tears to my eyes to see it shaping up beyond my wildest dreams! And speaking of dreams, I keep having dreams of the garden blooming while simultaneously having an irrational fear that nothing will come up but weeds. Oh, I know that is completely unlikely, but as a person with a historically black thumb, well, the idea of being able to grow things and keep them alive is akin to magic.

But that’s what gardens are after all, aren’t they? Real world magic. It’s experiencing the Creator up close and personal as He invites us to partake in the playground He built just for us. After all, the first occupation known to man was caring and cultivating THE Garden. So, there is something quite miraculous in how it all works together. And despite the curse of thorns and thistles, nature finds a way.

So, at this moment, a great deal of my focus has been going into this project. For one, I know that time is of the essence if I want things to come up before fall. But it’s also because I am teeming with energy and passion that must be directed somewhere (or several somewheres) at all times. I had an epiphany recently that God made me a bit like a garden hose with the nozzle lock-bar set to continuous flow. Wherever that stream is aimed is sure to be doused with everything I’ve got.

This also explains why everything I turn toward gets a similar intensity of love and focus from me. It just keeps flowing and having mobility allows me to dedicate myself to new projects and interests when needed. If I hit a block, I must redirect to shower that same energy and passion elsewhere because I can’t just shut it off — it has to go somewhere!

And right now, that somewhere is this garden. I have no idea how it will all turn out, but I’m having a blast with the process! Also, having tasted a bit of success last year has given me the boost of faith I need that some beauty will arise out of it. And yes, I expect to learn and grow a lot through it as well. A new world has opened up to me, and I just want to savor the experience for what it is and see where it takes me! Hopefully, to a place that delights the Father’s heart. I imagine He must love seeing His children explore His world and find such joy in it. 🌸

“The LORD will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing.” (Isaiah 51:3)