A Summer of Growth: Weedology and Grass Farming

A summer of growth at home includes caring for our home and yard; working with the kids in their relationship with God, academics and sports; deepening relationships in the church and community; keeping physically fit; doing a lot of learning and bearing fruit for God’s Kingdom. The weeds need pulling constantly. I have learned a lot about my life, my family, church and society grass farming. Of course there is the unending battle with the lions of dandy, those peculiar pernicious plants brought here by our European ancestors to make their beloved dandelion wine that now constantly threaten to overtake every clean green field, lawn and glade. Long and valiantly have we fought these carnivorous` slayers of uniform grassy foliage, but even worse are the sea creatures of the lawn: crab grass.
Last year I had a real rash of the horrible stuff in the back yard and weed-sprays were not even denting it. My grass farming advisors said that I would probably just have to live with it, but I just couldn’t bring myself to mow over it and cast that multitude of tiny seeds to the wind… and into every nook and cranny of my lawn. So I got Christopher and Catherine out in the yard with me--what are kids for?--and we went to work, carefully dislodging every fearsome crab. It was tedious and hot work, but not terribly hard. And with persistence we beat it: we completely eradicated crab grass from our lawn.
The interesting thing is that after a while you get to where you can see the little crabs with their legs crooking out akimbo. If there is any question about where the root center is you just touch the edge of one and it wiggles and you can see where the root center is. Then you just carefully feel your way with your hand down to the where the root comes out of the ground and gently pull the whole crab out. Often it has sent it’s little tendrils out under, over and around the precious grass plants but if you carefully and gently pull it all out you can successfully transport it to the open mouth of the waiting plastic trash bag and—voila—the end of the evil trespasser.
This hatred of weeds has spilled over to my life and my family’s life and may attitude toward sin and laziness in the church. Just as I saw and was alarmed at the weeds in my yard I see and am alarmed at the weedy sin, behavior, attitudes and influences that I see in my life and in the lives of my wife and children. It sensitizes me to them and makes me want to pull them out and deal with them. Some of the weeds I had to deal with were impurity, disrespect for traffic laws, distraction of various types, laziness, misplaced priorities, lack of love and communication. The Holy Spirit has been helping me see things and change. Every day I pray for God to put a wall of protection around me, for the spirit to lead me. God has helped me stay pure, no longer get speeding tickets, be on time and prepared, grow in my relationships and spiritual effectiveness. The children and I are having daily devotions together. I am isolating areas where my brothers need to grow and helping and encouraging them. We are filled with the Spirit singing songs and sharing our faith boldly daily.
Coming up on Liberty, Probity and Valor: Specifics on time with the kids and family, relationships, fitness, our learning projects and our outreach, and maybe a little about our business too!