This Gardening heart of mine is finding new ways to be satisfied in this Season of Slow. I may have had to change my activities, but I am finding that God still names who I am in the deep places of my heart.
Have you heard Him call your name?
Have you heard the whisper of
"Beloved, follow me?"
The British style of Gardening is a fascination to me. So I eagerly wait for new episodes of "Gardeners' World" to appear. This past week, as the hosts interviewed a most famous gardener, Penelope Hobhouse, she spoke a thought from her younger days that met my way of seeing:
"I was bowled over by suddenly realizing gardening is about beauty and not just being practical."
Over the years of helping many of my friends in their gardens, there usually came a time when they were surprised at the beauty I saw in the landscape around me. It might have been something they had missed, or something they had counted as a detriment. Even the small "critters" such as the frogs and toads have their own purpose and beauty.
Say What?
My heart holds fast, when
Others name it plain or drab
I will find beauty.
--BG
And yet, while I have no difficulty finding beauty in gardens,
I am not so quick to look for the beauty in the rest of my life.
I want to open my eyes
In the drab days
I want to hear music
In the plain songs
For there is a beauty
All around me
Even in the dreary
A singing for the soul
In every darkened day.
"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end."
Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV
What about your days?
Is there a beauty that you have overlooked?
Is something drab or plain
catching your eye with a hidden song?
Today's #Haiku #Poetry prompts were the words "fast&plain." Once again, Ronovan Hester has been kind enough to open the invitation to participate in the challenge over at his site:
Ronovan Writes
I am linking this week with:
#LMMLinkup
Meg Weyerbacher, #TeaAndWordTuesday
Debbie Kitterman, #TuneInThursday
I love the contrast in your haiku of how where others see plain and drab you can find beauty. :) Lovely, encouraging words today, Bettie!
ReplyDeleteBlessings, love and hugs to you, dear sister/poet/friend. xoxo
Dear Gayl,
DeleteI'm glad you found some beauty here! :-) I am asking the Lord to show me how He sees things, and sees beyond the plain and drab outer trappings. I couldn't resist another cute little frog picture! Blessings, Love and hugs to you too, dear sister/poet/friend! xoxo
Only a person with a beautiful heart can see beauty where others see plain and drab.
ReplyDeleteOh, thank you for such a kind thought! I am learning that poetry opens a heart to look for that kind of beauty. Thank you for stopping by here!
DeleteI've left a small area at the end of the garden to grow wild to attract wildlife such as frogs, hedgehogs and insects.
ReplyDeleteThis is an inspiring post, Bettie. Thanx.
God bless.
What a wonderful idea to leave a natural area! That wildlife is so important to the overall health of the whole garden, isn't it? Thank you for your kind words, Victor! God Bless you too!
DeleteThese thoughts resonate in my heart, Bettie. I find nothing drab or dull in nature either. I am often fascinated not only with the uniqueness of creatures, but also in such things as the creative twisting and knotting of an old dead trunk. God is the greatest Artist of all! I also identify with the yearning of your heart in the poem -
ReplyDelete"For there is a beauty
All around me
Even in the dreary
A singing for the soul
In every darkened day."
I am longing for it with you, my friend. Love and hugs to you!
Dear Trudy,
DeleteI did think of you when I posted another picture of a frog this week! :-) I am glad that we can share that love of nature. Our Lord surely is that Master Artist! What a great joy to be able to pray for each other through these days that sometimes are dark, to be able to see the beauty there. Love and Hugs to you Dear Sister! xo
I find beauty on dish racks and stove tops. I love a pretty pan or casserole full of color and a fine feel. I really need to stay out of TJ Maxx or Home Goods. But sometimes I treat myself. Hope you are feeling well today!
ReplyDeleteOh, thank you Sue! Yes, those pretty kitchen stores have proven dangerous to me in the past too! I am a sucker for a new bar of soap and a pretty dishtowel any day! :) I think we need those small treats to keep our hearts looking up. Blessings to you!
DeleteI didn't know this show existed, Bettie. I would SO watch it! I love your words today. "A singing for the soul." - YES! Love you sweet friend!!!
ReplyDeleteYes, Meg, I wish that show was easier to get to over here also! So far I have only found episodes on Youtube now and then! I hope you can catch a few minutes of one! Love you too, sweet friend!
DeleteDear Bettie, I smiled at the thought of you watching Gardener's World! Our tiny garden doesn't warrant any great attention, so we rarely catch this programme. However, our elder son and wife (whose plot is graced by lawn, flowers, shrubs, trees, vegetables, ponds and frogs!)) have a great appreciation for it and are avid viewers. But I do love visiting them to enjoy the scenery and take a photograph or two.
ReplyDeleteYour haiku really spoke to me. One unexpected gift of having a rather confined, constrained life due to chronic illness is how it seems to heighten our appreciation of those seemingly small things we used to take for granted beforehand. I love the opportunity to look for beauty in the everyday, and seeing it in unlikely things.
Your lovely poetic words here are especially poignant:
"I want to open my eyes
In the drab days
I want to hear music
In the plain songs
For there is a beauty
All around me
Even in the dreary
A singing for the soul
In every darkened day."
I see you already achieving these things, and long for them too. May the light and beauty you see restore hope and joy on the darker, weaker, pain filled days. Holding you in my heart and prayers, sweet friend. Gentle hugs to you! xoxo
Dear Joy,
DeleteOh, yes, dear friend, I so appreciate your prayers on this, one of those pain filled days! I know that you understand so well--I am glad that we can share in that longing to be filled with more of His Vision to find beauty in our days. What fun to know that your son is enjoying those episodes also! Even tho we are a world apart, there are places of beauty to be shared there too! I always look forward to any photos that you share of those hidden glimmer that catch your eye my friend! Gentle Hugs and Blessings to you also! xoxo
Hi Bettie,
ReplyDeleteThere's so much beauty for so many parts of our lives to be gleaned from gardening, isn't there? The seasons, the dirt, the blooms, all speak of God's work through creation and his work in us. I love your call to us to look for beauty overlooked in our lives, for there are many things we overlook in our haste to get through our days. Love to you, friend! xo
Hi Valerie,
DeleteYes, so many pictures of God's Grace in the gardens--all speaking of His "work through creation and His work in us." I have so appreciated your way of seeing God in those moments of your travels also! Isn't God so good to find so many different ways to speak to us? Love to you, my friend! xoxo
I've planted more flowers this year so it's been a fun activity to stroll through the yard every few days to see what is growing. Weeds continue to be the most hardy thing. ha. Love this, Bettie: "I am finding that God still names who I am in the deep places of my heart." Blessings to you!
ReplyDeleteDear Lisa,
DeleteOh I am glad that you were able to plant more flowers! One can never have too many flowers, is always my thought. They help to cover over those weeds! :-) And yes, I am so thankful that "God still names who I am" even today when pain has flared up. Thank you for your sweet thoughts here today! Blessings to you also!
So beautiful, sweet friend. It is just like you to find beauty where others see only ashes. God bless you always. You are such a dear blessing to me!
ReplyDeleteDear Cheryl,
DeleteThank you for the kind words that you always bring to me! Isn't Jesus so precious to us--giving HIS gifts to us all along our pathway? Thank you for being one of those gifts to me! Blessings, Love and Hugs to you!
Thank you very much for visiting my blog today and for leaving a comment there. I have responded on my blog.
ReplyDeletePraying for you. God bless.
Dear Victor,
DeleteThank you for the encouragement that you bring along with your words! I hope that you and your family are having a beautiful spring! I appreciate your prayers, and may God Bless you!
Such a good reminder that we need to always look for the beauty in everything.Thanks for sharing at Literacy Musing Mondays hope to see you next week.
ReplyDeleteConnie
Thank you for hosting a great and inviting link-up! I am grateful for the beauty that God brings our way! Blessings to you!
DeleteThe dreaded prednisone. IBe been working on reducing my dosage for 4 years. I'm down from 40mg/day to 1 or 2 per day! God bless as you keep that RA under control. With love!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your love and understanding! Yes, that prednisone is not our first choice, is it? But thank the Lord that He helps us to do what is necessary in the care of these tents we dwell in. You are in my prayers, Dear RA/Fibro Sister! Blessings and Love to you too!
Delete