Weeds

At a conference I once heard, "A weed is just a plant in a place someone doesn't want it to be." I have yet to try cooking up some dandelion greens but I am currently battling a garden plot that really weeded up while we were away for awhile. There is so much time to think while you are weeding by hand. The sermon last Sunday meditated on the lesson about what kind of ground we are - what seeds planted within us will do. Will they be scorched on barren ground? Will they have trouble rooting in rocky soil? Will they get choked out by thorns (weeds?) or will they flourish in fertile depths? Of course the more you as nurturer are prepared - by yourself, by others, by a higher power - the more likely the latter will occur. It definitely takes some work to ensure personal growth. Yes, sometimes a seed simply falls and finds the right purchase. You've had that surprise cucumber or melon plant next to the compost. Generally though, fruit-bearing plants require some tending. I dreaded digging into that overgrown plot but what do you know? The weeds had spread but much of the ground cover led to central roots. When I found the root and pulled, much more ground was exposed than I had imagined. Where I was sure I saw thousands of weeds there were only hundreds. In the same way something we dread can be daunting but once we delve in and attempt to find the root of the problem, much more is solved than we had imagined. Whether we find a positive use for the weeds in our lives or discern the root and remove them by it, addressing weeds will create a more fruitful life.