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Monday, May 26, 2014

The Sermon of the Weeds

My dear readers,
It is my pleasure to introduce to you my most persistent foes, the ardent enemies of all civilization, who would deprive hungry children even the food for their tables and the bread which sustains their lives.  These villains would choke all flowers before they could be seen by the joyous eyes of the young and would deny the farmer of his hard earned labour.  Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce to you my nemesis: ***Weeds!***
In spite of the enmity which flourishes betwixt myself and the weeds and is daily manifested in our never-ending conflict, I have developed an admiration for the resilience of my adversaries.   

Whatever deadly instruments of warfare I may use, whether hoe, hammer, crowbar, shovel, rake, leather gloves, or bare hands, these hardy invaders continue their encroachment unfazed.  When I eradicate them from one area they show up in another.  When cut in pieces they resurrect themselves, growing new leaves from their roots and new roots from fallen leaves.

It matters not to them how far I surpass them in stature, weight, and (dare I say?) intelligence.  They never surrender.  They never give up or take into consideration the fact that my cause is right and noble, while their very existence is proof of the nefariousness extant in the world.

And yet, although they are my arch-enemies, in a small, yes, very small way I love them for the lessons they have taught me in labour, patience, and persistence.  For my struggle against them is teaching me never to give up and always spring back from defeats like creeping charlie and morning glory, to hold onto every bit of life with the tenacity of ironweed, to have my roots as deeply embedded in God's word as crab grass in the strawberry patch, and to never be intimidated by foes, no matter how big they may be.

Though my distaste for weeds may well continue till time is no more, I thank God for teaching me the sermon of the weeds.  And I do pray, that in the end, I may emerge from my battle victorious, conquering every weed.

5 comments:

  1. Wow, what a great way to think about weeds! :)
    By the way, I like your new layout for the blog topics.

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  2. I used to marvel at the weeds that would push through the pavement on the bike path in Marshalltown. Talk about persistence!

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  3. Wow, what a great sermon, Bethany! Very thought-provoking!

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  4. Thanks Paige, glad to hear you like the new topic buttons.

    That is amazing Phil...seems it would take a lot of effort to break through pavement. God's creation is marvelous.

    Thanks Cryslyn and Clare!

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