Changed By Love

This is the first post in the series of Garden Posts I promised you.

This post was written by my daughter.

She is a very gifted writer. She was 22 years old when she wrote this. I hope you enjoy this post and that the Lord speaks to you through it. May you be blessed in your marriage today.

Gardens are meant to be tended every day. If you leave it for others or allow nature to take its course, when next you walk those familiar pathways, you will find that things are not as you remember them. Flowers that you once knew as well as your own children change and either wither or grow so that you no longer recognize them, becoming lost in a tangle of weeds and other plants.

In a world where the common belief seems to be that all things are relative and vows that were once taken with the utmost gravity, intended as a lifelong commitment, are now taken with only today in mind with no thought towards tomorrow, it is at this time that we should draw from the ancient wisdom of the garden. Experienced gardeners will tell you, “Miss one day of watering and you will spend the rest of the week making it up.” While this may only be true for more delicate flowers, the principle is one to bear in mind and attempt to apply to one’s everyday life. A relationship is many things, but one thing to which it is often related is a flowering plant. While not all flowers require the same amount of sunshine, water, or trimming, at some point, especially during the fragile beginning of their life, a plant must be carefully guarded and observed. While still a tender sprout, it is easy to see why one must be vigilant so that nothing treads upon it. But when the plant nears its maturity, one usually begins to lower their guard, believing that the flower has grown strong enough to be left on its own, unaided. Other hobbies begin to feel important again, tasks that were once at the back of our minds slide to the forefront, we allow ourselves to become busy. Our garden no longer takes precedence in our hearts and is left to fend for itself. Know that wherever there is life, there will be those who seek to either protect it, or prey upon it.

When a woman is joined to her husband, the two must take their relationship and replant it in a new flowerbed. This is the start of their garden. When a flower is uprooted and replanted in a new garden, it must be watched closely for any signs of trauma or discomfort as it struggles to adjust to its new surroundings. Patience and love are required during this crucial stage. One cannot allow themselves to be distracted by other things, for it is at this time that adjustments must be made to accommodate the fragile plant. If the soil is too dry, or the wind is too strong, or the soil does not offer the proper nutrition, one must be willing to make whatever sacrifices are needed to keep their flower healthy and growing. When a man and wife come together, they are both equally responsible for tending this garden and keeping the many trees and flowers therein healthy and strong. Over time, many lose the initial excitement of owning a garden and let their interests drift toward other things, forgetting the responsibility they accepted when they planted that first flower. If you return to a garden that is in ruins, sometimes the best thing to do is simply uproot the dead plants and replant new ones. Do not abandon your garden simply because it is no longer as beautiful as you remember it. Take care of it, nurse it back to health, even if only one flower of hope remains. You planted the garden together and it is your shared responsibility. No matter the trials or distractions that caused you to drift from it in the first place, when you return, do so with the intent to heal whatever has withered in your absence. You cannot expect fruit from a plant that has not been tended throughout its season.