Simply Soul Searching

(A SEASON OF NEW GROWTH #11)
Monday, June 28th

For it was you who formed my inward parts;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
    Wonderful are your works;
that I know very well.
(Psalm 139:13-14 NRSV)

For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life. (Ephesians 2:10 NRSV)

In this past year I have grown to love podcasts! I love the convenience of learning, laughing, or being inspired while I am walking or driving. With the popularity of podcasts increasing, I began to consider offering a podcast of my own, one in which I could talk about my blog post for the day. There only seemed to be one drawback.

My voice.

I don’t have a gentle, soothing voice, or a lilting, lovely one. Nor do I have a clear, majestic voice, or an elegant, mellow one. My voice has always been a bit raspy at times, and the hoarseness has worsened with age and earlier chemotherapy treatments. My voice is also soft – I cannot yell – and it falls in a vocal range that is especially difficult for those with hearing loss to absorb.

Years ago, I even joined a group that developed public speaking skills. I was soon told that I spoke too nasally, and was advised to open my throat when speaking. Well, this “helpful” suggestion only made me more nervous, and my throat closed up so much that it seemed my nose did most of the talking! And then there is this story: a bemused teen in my youth group once told me that when I spoke, my tongue clicked against my teeth and I sounded like a chipmunk.

And so I write. 😀

(I hope that brought a laugh today…)

Today’s reflection is to Blossom in Beauty, but our invitation is to blossom with our own unique beauty. When I think of this type of blossoming, dear Therese of Lisieux comes to mind. She has been called “The Little Flower” because of her selfless, humble, and truly beautiful way of living:

Therese is most known for her “Little Way.”  She spoke not of doing great things, but of small things with great love.  She saw herself as a child who lived in complete dependence on God.  Therese acknowledged her littleness and believed this showed more clearly God’s greatness.  She once said, “If all the lowly flowers wished to be roses, nature would lose its springtime beauty.”  Therese saw herself as a tiny flower in the garden of God and believed His power shone more clearly through her weakness.¹

When we live as our best selves according to the way God has created us, our beauty may not radiate from the features or abilities we wish we had; yet each of us has been created uniquely and beautifully in God’s eyes. We have been given special gifts and strengths to contribute to the diverse beauty of all creation. We cannot be or do everything, but we can strive to be what God has made us, “created in Christ Jesus for good works.” Like Therese, we can trust that the beauty of God’s power will shine through our weakness. We can blossom in the beauty of love alone.

What is your unique way of bringing beauty to God’s world? How might your weakness be a way for God to create a different beauty of God’s making? How will you blossom through the beauty of God’s love in your life?

May we remember that our unique beauty is best revealed when we let God’s beautiful love outshine our imperfections, while we focus on doing those “good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.”

¹Saint Therese of Lisieux: God’s Little Flower – My Catholic Kids

Photo by Karen, Hurricane, WV

(A SEASON OF NEW GROWTH #10)
Wednesday, June 23rd

He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
    and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
    and to walk humbly with your God?
(Micah 6:8 NRSV)

How often have you entered a room only to wonder, “Now why did I come in here?” I do this quite often – and even more so as I age! I forget my original intention because I am distracted by other needs or preoccupied by other thoughts. Sometimes I must return to the previous room so I can recall my original purpose. Today’s reflection helps us to keep our best purposes and spiritual intentions flourishing and focused by pruning the nonessentials.

Before we begin pruning, we are wise to first discern what our life essentials include. The isolation of the past year has helped me to rediscover a few of my essentials; I gained a deeper appreciation for family togetherness, a greater awareness of my need to write, a more spiritual connection through my daily walks, and even a stronger preference for eating healthy dinners at home. Once we understand what matters most to us – and to God – we can begin to prune the nonessentials to make more space for the essentials.

In his book, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, Greg McKeown describes essentialism as “a whole new way of doing less, but better, in every area of our lives.” He shares an example of a busy executive who considered each request for his time by first asking himself, “Is this the very most important thing I should be doing with my time and resources right now?” Greg advises, “Only once we discern what is absolutely essential and eliminate everything else can we make our highest possible contribution toward the things that truly matter.”¹

For some time now, I have been writing a book about the ways I feel God’s love and presence in my life. The book was intended to simply be a gift, a memoir, for my family and friends. But as I took steps to learn more about writing and publishing, I forgot my original purpose. I began to concern myself with building a larger following, finding ways to promote my writing, and reading every marketing resource that caught my attention. These tips and resources are helpful, but they took time and attention away from the writing itself! Soon my book project began to feel overwhelming and intimidating – no longer an outpouring of thoughtful reflections from my heart – and I stopped writing. Only when I finally returned to “the previous room” of my original intention, did I remember the “why I came in here” and found the joy of writing again.

The article, Benefits Of Pruning For Healthy Plant Growth | ABC Blog (abchomeandcommercial.com), tells us that “Proper pruning improves the health and beauty of plants, thereby increasing their lifespan and productivity.” Some of the benefits listed were improved plant health (by removing dead, diseased, damaged or dying branches and stubs), enhanced plant growth (when the main shoot is pruned, the growth of other shoots is encouraged), and enhanced beauty of a plant (pruning helps develop healthy flowers and colorful young shoots).

When we take the time to prune our nonessentials, we help foster our own healthier, stronger, and lovelier lives. As we pursue the goal of being who God created us to be, of doing what God created us to do, we might be offered many good paths to follow. For our healthy spiritual growth, we are wise to prune our choices to the best few, always making our first priority “to walk humbly with God.”

Our pruning can begin with a time for spiritual reflection, a time to prayerfully consider what is essential for our faithful living. We can then let those essentials guide our responses to each new invitation. We can ask ourselves, “Is this the best choice for now?” We can prune some of the helpful but less essential tasks by limiting our time with them (for example, I can concern myself with publishing for one hour each week). On the other hand, we can assign definite schedules for our essentials (I will write 500 words every Tuesday). Most of all, we can ask the Spirit to guide our ways and to reveal what is essential for living each day.

As we prune our nonessentials in this Season of New Growth, may we each find a greater clarity of purpose that will guide us to a life of simple – but meaningful – abundance.

¹McKeown, Greg. Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less. New York: Currency, 2020. Print.

Photo credit: shrub-pruning.jpg (1256×835) (gardeningknowhow.com)

(A SEASON OF NEW GROWTH #9)
Monday, June 21st

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21 NRSV)

I learned something new about weeds in my gardening research: They aren’t all bad!

In the article, An Ecological Understanding of Weeds | eOrganic, I discovered that “weed growth is a healing response to land disturbance after either natural disaster or human activity leaves the soil vulnerable to erosion or degradation.” Weeds “protect the soil from erosion, replenish organic matter, feed and restore soil life, absorb, conserve, and recycle soluble nutrients that would otherwise leach away, absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, restore biodiversity, and provide habitat for insects and animals.”

Weeds are necessary and helpful for the health of our soil.

But the article then describes the problems that arise when weed growth continues unabated in a farm field or garden. A weed in itself is helpful for the soil, but too many weeds will hamper the healthy growth of crops or gardens.

As we think of our own healthy spiritual growth, what might our weeds be? Let’s think of our “weeds” as any of our blessings that may be useful or beneficial but – if left to grow unabated – can inhibit or prevent our best growth. We have been given a beautiful world to enjoy and steward. We have been given earthly treasures that are beneficial and even necessary. I believe God delights in our pleasure and enjoyment of the treasures we have received. But, as Jesus says in Matthew 6, troubles arise when we “store up” these treasures for ourselves. The gifts we have been given can turn into weeds when we make them our sole priority and focus.

The article notes several ways weeds will cause problems, and these relate to the weeds in our lives as well. When weeds become too abundant they begin:

Competing directly for light, nutrients, moisture, and space… Is the career we have been graciously given now requiring so much time and energy that we neglect our time with God? Are we distracted from God’s present goodness while we worry about our responsibilities or possessions?

Physically hindering crop growth and development… Have we become so focused on success that we have lost the joy of the work itself? Are we comparing ourselves with others more than discovering how God has uniquely equipped us?

Hosting pests or pathogens that may attack crops… Has our pursuit of material goods added to our financial stress and strain? How would simplifying our lives free up more time and space for rest and replenishment? Do we envy or copy what others have or do, rather than enjoy and appreciate our special lives?

Interfering with or contaminating crop harvest… Are the crops of our success riddled with broken relationships or frustrations? Are we able to yield truly abundant fruit or are we settling for “good enough” because we have been overwhelmed and depleted for so long?

Today is our day for a “weed review.” What gifts have become weeds in our lives? What will help provide more time and energy for our relationships with God and our dear ones? Where might we reduce our supply, release our pursuit, or relish what we already have?

As we learn to weed where needed, may we discover new growth in our ways, but also new joy for our days.

Photo by Jonny Caspari on Unsplash

(A SEASON OF NEW GROWTH #8)
Wednesday, June 16th

Jesus wept.
(John 11:35 NRSV)

She made her way through the desert of her soul
parched by pandemic, politics, and pain;
her chin held high, stoic and strong,
displaying her optimism as a banner of hope.
“God is our stronghold, our shield, our rock,”
she proclaimed, to those who yearned
for a soft and tender caress instead.

She held fast to her faith,
desperately clutching it to her chest
as moments, memories, and people she loved
were snatched from her embrace.
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted,”
she publicly professed
while she inwardly wondered,
“Will you forget me forever?”

And when the desert time was nearly over,
she paused to quietly grieve
the three who no longer walked this world.
A sudden tear surprised her…
then another and another…
soon the tears were pouring down her cheeks,
her thin veneer of peace now shattered
and every sorrow spilling through her fingers.

She grieved for herself
then for her dear ones
then for the world…
for the memories she would not make
for the losses she could not recover

for the lies and the lines
of hatred and division that form in dry times,
for walls and distances that separate
people from people, people from God;

and tears of grief flowed unabated
for doctors and daycares
for frontliners and families
for racism and riots
for police and people of color
for borders and babies
for violence and vaccines
for India and Italy
for countries and continents
for all places and all people.

Her fresh tears poured out –
but the dry, barren ground soaked in,
softening
refreshing
replenishing
becoming dark and damp soil,
cool beneath her weary feet.

She grieved and she placed
each sorrow into grace…
then, drained and depleted,
gently wiped her eyes
to find a tiny sprout of new life
breaking courageously
through fresh and fertile ground

and she smiled.
The soil of her soul was ready
to grow something new.

Bible verses quoted:
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted.” Psalm 34:18
“Will you forget me forever?” Psalm13:1

Photo by Karen, Hurricane, WV

(A SEASON OF NEW GROWTH #7)
Monday, June 14th

I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. (Ephesians 3:16-17 NRSV)

As we continue our Season of New Growth, today let’s take a look at our roots. In what ways are roots important to plant health? How does “being rooted and grounded in love” foster a stronger and healthier spirit? Here are some excerpts from The Importance of Healthy Plant Roots | Bonnie Plants, that also relate to our personal roots:

Did you know that what you see above ground in your plants is really determined by what’s hidden underground? What happens underground, where the plant roots live, drives plant growth. The bigger and healthier the root system, the bigger and healthier the plant. What do healthy roots do?

~ First, they provide the anchor needed to keep a plant in place…

As we deepen and extend our roots into the love of Christ, we become well-anchored to withstand any buffeting winds of change, drenching raindrops of sorrow, or pummeling hailstones of hurt that come our way. We learn to bend and recover, absorb and revive, strengthen and heal, while we are firmly secured in love – through all of the challenges of life.

~ More importantly, roots are the lifeline of a plant, taking up air, water, and nutrients from the soil and moving them up into the leaves, where they can interact with sunlight to produce sugars, flavors, and energy for the plant…

Did you ever place a celery stalk in colored water when you were a child? This simple science experiment demonstrated how a plant uses capillary action and osmosis to absorb and move water through itself. Over time, the color was visibly drawn up through the celery and into the leaves. Like the celery, as we deepen our roots and absorb more and more of the love of Christ, that love will become increasingly visible in us, too.

~ Additionally, biologists have recently discovered that roots actually secrete compounds that affect the microorganisms in the soil, doing things like helping protect the plant from disease and encouraging it to absorb nutrients from the soil…

With our roots grounded in love, we willingly contribute to the good of others. Doing so helps all of us to be healthier; as we protect and build one another up, we also strengthen ourselves. Our roots become our strong foundation as we intertwine and support one another.

So how do you get a system of good, healthy roots? Remember seven words: “Healthy, deep soil. Adequate moisture and nutrients.” If everything you do in your garden works toward that, your plants should thrive.

Our next verses from Ephesians reveal our source of “Healthy, deep soil. Adequate moisture and nutrients.”

I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:18-19 NRSV)

Our roots have plenty of room to extend into the “breadth and length and height and depth” of the nourishing soil of God’s love. And this love is right here, ready for us to deepen our roots, absorb love beyond knowledge, and grow into all the fullness of God.

Photo by Evergreens and Dandelions on Unsplash

(A SEASON OF NEW GROWTH #6)
Wednesday, June 9th

If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
no harm will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways;
they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
(Psalm 91:9-12 NRSV)

My neighbor was wise to cover his newly-planted garden with straw to protect it from a late-spring frost! Emerging and tender sprouts can be damaged or killed if they are not properly protected from the cold. As Chris Bonnett from GardeningExpress.co.uk explains: “Chilly temperatures freeze the cells in a plant, causing damage and interrupting the way nutrients and water flow around it. Growth will stop, and some plants will even become dormant to avoid as much damage as possible…”¹ Today we will consider how we might also keep our newly sprouting spiritual and personal growth from harm.

This post feels deeply personal to me. These recent years of pandemic and politics have prompted me to shelter within my home, hide behind my mask, and at times, avoid the news or social media. Much like the seed within its outer coat, hidden in the underground darkness, I remained protectively isolated – unaware that this shelter would actually become a place of transformation into a new and different life.

And now, I feel vulnerable as I gradually emerge from isolation into community, from masks to faces, from fear to freedom, from silence to conversation. I feel exposed, at times confused, and still somewhat uncertain about my reentry into the fullness of life.

But I also feel vulnerable because I have changed. I am more introspective. I am less social. I am more emotional. I am less intimidated. I am more of an advocate. I am less a church member. I am more purposeful. I am less driven. I feel vulnerable, because I wonder how I will be received as I emerge and grow in these new and different ways.

I want to emerge; I need to emerge. God beckons me forth, out of the soil, where I am to sprout, bloom, and flourish, where I am to glorify God with a life of loving service. Yet, I wonder what frigid frosts may surprise and deter my tender shoots as I enter into this new life.

Are you feeling vulnerable in these times? How has God worked through these difficult days to transform you? Are you gradually sprouting new dreams, goals, or ways of being? If so, how do we nurture and protect these tender new shoots? What might you need to shield from the outer frost of misunderstanding or criticism? What might you need to shield from the inner chill of self-doubt, intimidation, or longing to return to the way things were?

We can protect our tender sprouts of new growth by sheltering in God. Chris Bonnett’s suggestions for plant care serve as a guide for our soul care, too…

~ Keep watering your plants during the cold weather, but do it in the middle of the day when temperatures are a little warmer.
When is your best time of day to refresh in the waters of the Spirit? Our times of prayer, study, or reflection are absorbed more readily when we are not “frozen” with hurry or distraction.

~ If you have plants in pots, move them to a sheltered spot and wrap the sides of the pots.
Where is your sheltered place for spiritual replenishment? Could it be a quiet reading corner with a cozy comforter? Or could it be envisioning yourself wrapped securely in the love of Christ?

~ Cover tender plants during frosty conditions with an upturned bucket or flower pot… Cover larger shrubs and trees with an old bedsheet, or a large piece of fabric… Cover the soil around plants with mulch or straw… Try creating a windbreak for larger plants…
Our need for protective sheltering may vary with the size of our vulnerability. There are times when a simple breath prayer or a quiet word will do. Other times, we may need to cover ourselves more deeply with additional time and spiritual practices. We might need to surround ourselves with a supportive community, a windbreak to diminish the harsh realities of life.

~ Don’t be tempted to bring your favorite plants inside during the cold weather. The sudden change in temperature can kill them.
This is my favorite suggestion. We are called to embrace life fully and to live abundantly! Parts of us are dying when we are not fully living. Our new sprouts are growing so that we become all that we are meant to be; so that we do all that we are called to do. So when we feel ready to give up, we remind ourselves that God does not want us to live in the past or in hiding. And we trust that God goes with us as a guide and a shelter for everything we will encounter.

Like the psalmist says, “The Lord is my refuge.” As we begin to grow in new and different ways, we will safely abide in the protective shelter of God, the One who has created us to thrive.

¹How To Protect Garden Plants From Cold Weather And Frost (countryliving.com)

Photo by Karen, Hurricane, WV

(A SEASON OF NEW GROWTH #5)
Monday, June 7th

But you, Israel, my servant,
    Jacob, whom I have chosen,
    the offspring of Abraham, my friend;
you whom I took from the ends of the earth,
    and called from its farthest corners,
saying to you, “You are my servant,
    I have chosen you and not cast you off”;
do not fear, for I am with you,
    do not be afraid, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
    I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.
(Isaiah 41:8-10 NRSV)

In her article, 6 Simple Tips For Staking Your Garden Plants Perfectly Every Time (morningchores.com), Jennifer Poindexter offers us helpful tips and reasons for staking garden plants. Today, let’s reflect on two of these tips as guides for our own healthy growth:

~ Sturdy is Your Friend

“When you are choosing a stake to hold up your heavier garden plants, you’ll want something sturdy. If not, your plants could still end up on the ground. Be sure to pick durable materials which won’t bend under pressure. Keep in mind, when placing the stakes by your bigger plants, you’ll need to consider how large the plant is going to get.”

As we seek to grow with new and abundant life, it is essential to have ourselves properly supported. One facet of our faith is the awareness that we need God’s support and guidance as we live our days. We understand that we cannot live fully or well on our own – and we are grateful that we do not need to! God is our stronghold. God is our guide. God is steadfast. God is secure. God doesn’t “bend” under pressure. We can count on God’s sure and sturdy love to guide and uplift us.

~ Stake When Planting

“It’s important to stake your plants when planting them. If you try to stake your tomatoes after they’ve reached full size, you’ll have a problem. Imagine trying to wrestle a large tomato plant into a tomato cage. It’s going to be difficult to do. However, if you apply the tomato cage when you plant the seedling, it should slide right over, and the tomato will learn to grow upward with support.“

This second tip serves as a good practice for us, too: Always begin with God. Unlike a stake that stands immobile near the plant, waiting for its tendrils to reach and climb, God is a constant, sturdy presence already with us. But as we seek to grow in love and faith, we can maintain touchpoints that keep us present to God’s loving guidance throughout our days. Our touchpoints may be prayer, quiet listening, Bible reading, inner “gut” feelings, guidance from faithful mentors, or noticing what catches our attention.

Before we begin our day, we can ask God to guide and support us. Before we begin any new venture, we can do the same. Each time we face a new challenge or opportunity, each time we are going to speak or act, we can first seek God’s guidance. Because once we begin moving, changing our course or direction becomes more difficult. Our healthiest new growth begins with first staking ourselves in God.

Our “God stake” is not a pole for us to climb, but a mutual, loving embrace for us to keep.

In what ways do you feel God’s supportive embrace? How do you hope to be held, guided and supported today? What touchpoints will keep you aware of God’s steadfast and sturdy love?

One closing thought…
I found this photo so fitting, because it speaks to me of God’s guiding love as a love that leads us in unexpected directions, as a love that helps us to reach across divides, and as a love that creatively transforms us into beautiful gardens of life and love.

Photo by Veronica Reverse on Unsplash