How Does Your Garden Grow?

How Does Your Garden Grow?

“Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?

With silver bells and cockle shells, and pretty maids all in a row.”

That is a well-known and very old nursery rhyme. Did you ever wonder why Mary was so contrary? It seems that her garden is lovely, and all her flowers were growing the way she wants them to. She planted the seeds, took care to water them, and the blooms sprung up in a well-planned, organized formation. So, what’s the problem?

                  God created us in His image, so we have emotions – many emotions, just like He does. We have an entire garden of emotional seeds which He carefully and deliberately planted in our hearts and minds. We water the seeds. Those seeds which we water and nourish consistently are the ones that grow into strong, healthy plants with deep roots at the bottom and beautiful blossoms on the top. All the ones we water grow tall and strong with the deep roots.

                  However, we have a choice. If we decide to water and nourish the seeds of hate, anger, bitterness, and resentment, they are going to grow. But if we water the seeds of gratefulness, kindness, patience, and hope, those are the ones that grow higher than the depth of their roots. They bear blossoms and fruit that contain the seeds which scatter and reproduce more of the same. Even better, the healthiest plant that yields the most fruit and gives refreshment and strength is forgiveness. Plants of hate, anger, bitterness, and resentment yield only fruit that is disagreeable, offensive, poisonous, and destructive to the other plants in the garden and beyond. They compete for power and spread seeds of fear and doubt. 

                  It’s interesting how tulip bulbs and iris bulbs move forward on their own and multiply every year when they have the right water and nourishment from healthy soil. You don’t have to do anything special or different for them, and they almost take over your garden with beauty and hope for more blossoms next year. You are now able to carry a bouquet of God’s most beautiful flowers in your hands as you move forward on your journey.

                  So, how does your garden grow?