Not Moved

Deeply rooted plants can make it through the storms. One can see, in the Cascade Mountains of Washington, tall weathered-gray pines that have spiraled trunks. The winds blow there day after day, year after year, tossing and turning the branches, but these are old trees, deeply rooted, and the wind's force has finally twisted their trunks rather than tearing them from the soil as it might have done with more shallow trees. Can we, like those tough old tress, weather the storms?

The Psalmist declared several times, "I shall not be moved." What does mean? I won't be hurt or disappointed or troubled? I won't face difficulty or loss? No, if you are familiar with David's story, you know that all of these circumstances were a regular part of his life. The apostle Paul, too, said, "None of these things move me." He was referring to murderous plots against him, to his own humble servitude, and to a future that was uncertain except for the knowledge that it held imprisonment and tribulation! None of these things matter to me? No, none of these things will change my course. None will divert my attention from the truth that is established in me.

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? . . . No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35, 37-39)

I recall our singing "I Shall Not Be Moved" as a family when we were in the car together, going to church or traveling the long road to Grandma's house (30 miles, a long way back then!) It's a traditional American folk song, perhaps going back to the slavery camps.

I shall not be, I shall not be moved.

I shall not be, I shall not be moved.

Just like a tree that's standing by the water,

I shall not be moved.

Then one of us would begin,
"Jesus is my Savior, I shall not be moved . . ." or "I'm on my way to heaven, I shall not be moved . . ."

and the others would all chime in. This continued until we mercifully reached our destination or we tired ourselves out and switched to something else.

That was many years ago, and now I do sometimes feel like one of those gnarly old trees that's been twisted by the winds that have blown on the mountain top! Perhaps you feel this way too, but better for us to be twisted (in this good sense of the word) and still firmly planted, than broken and toppled over!

We shall not be moved!
MaryMartha

Scripture quotation is taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

Spinning Our Wheels

Fresh snow fell during the night, and I was awakened by the sound of a roaring motor on the street near my window. I could hear the whine of spinning wheels, and I knew someone was stuck in the ice and snow. There were only a few inches of snow, not enough to severely "high center" a vehicle, so I decided the person didn't know how to drive in snow or was just too impatient to apply what he/she knew.

Easy does it when you're trying to get unstuck from snow. You have to resist the temptation to give it the gas and try to blast your way through; the hot, spinning tires just make the snow more icy and slippery. Keeping the wheels straight and moving back and forth, back and forth, even just a few inches at a time, usually builds up enough momentum that eventually you can drive out on the snow-packed runway you've created.

How often in life, when things aren't going well, we give in to the desperate feeling that if we just try harder, try harder, try harder something will happen. But sometimes we are only spinning our wheels. We are not making headway by simply repeating what we have already been doing, except with greater intensity. Especially if our attempts to get "unstuck" involve personal encounters, the others involved are likely to feel our impatience, frustration, and anger. They might even think it is directed at them, burying us still further in the troubling situation.

Easy does it. Gently move forward a tiny bit at a time. When you meet resistance but before you start "spinning your wheels," back up just a little, then try moving forward again slowly. Whether you're snowed in by snow or snowed under by the things and people you're dealing with, spinning your wheels only makes thing worse. Getting unstuck is an exercise in wisdom and restraint.

MaryMartha

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

Trying Again

Several days ago when I powered up my computer, I could not access the Internet. I tried and tried with no success. One computer technician advises that nine times out of ten, just turning it off and back on will solve the problem, so I re-booted the system. When that didn't work, I remembered what my service provider had told me once: turn off the power to the system, wait a few minutes, and then turn the power on again. And thankfully, this worked!

Now I could have tried for the rest of the day to get online by clicking again and again on the Internet icon. Finally in sheer frustration, I might have phoned tech support—a lengthy process usually—and would have been embarrassed by their first question: "Have you tried re-booting your system?" There is something about these electronic gadgets that needs to be re-set sometimes before they will work smoothly again.

From that experience, I began thinking about Albert Einstein's definition of insanity: "Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." That might be a little harsh, but it certainly does make a point! It doesn't make sense, it's foolish and it's disregarding reality to do the thing over and over again that is not working. We learned, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." And so sometimes, we do try and we try again—but we simply repeat what didn't work in the first place. Sometimes we need to stop and re-think the situation; maybe we need to "re-boot" the system before we make another attempt!

Thomas Edison, we are told, tried over a thousand times to devise a light bulb that would work; the secret of his success was that he did not try one single way a thousand times. When it became obvious that what he had done would not work, he tried something different until at last he accomplished what he had set out to do. If you're dealing with a knotty problem right now, consider whether there may be another way to approach it. Eventually, the light is going to come on!

MaryMartha

Art from www.wpclipart.com

Living by Faith

Living by faith is not some mystical attainment achieved by a few super-spiritual folks who have "God in their pocket." It is a comforting, everyday reality—trusting in a God who cares and is accessible and is still in charge. Others have led the way for us.

"Each one of these people of faith . . .

Abel,
Enoch,
Noah,
Abraham and Sarah,
Isaac, Jacob, and
Joseph,
Moses,
The Israelites,
Rehab of Jericho,
Gideon, Barak, and
Samson,
Jephtha,
David,
Samuel,
The prophets

. . . died not yet having in hand what was promised, but still believing. How did they do it? They saw it way off in the distance, waved their greeting, and accepted the fact that they were transients in this world. People who live this way make it plain that they are looking for their true home . . . You can see why God is so proud of them, and has a City waiting for them." (Hebrews 11:13-16)

Sometimes we can see a long way off what we are hoping to become. We get little glimpses of the persons we would be if only we did not have this problem or that weakness or some other hurting place in us. If only . . .

And then, sometimes we cannot see at all yet who we will become in God's order of things. Wait! He's saying something to you . . .

Perhaps you have not heard that often enough in your lifetime. Perhaps you have not had the confidence to say it to yourself. Believe that as you walk in faith with God, He is saying it to you!

So then, "Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item . . ." (Hebrews 12:2, 3)

It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus! You may enjoy reading "Trophies of Grace" [here].

MaryMartha

Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

One Pebble at a Time

I was thinking last evening about what I am accomplishing for the Kingdom of God—actually, about what a little bit I seem to be accomplishing, and I was somewhat disheartened by my evaluation. Then I remembered an old story, or maybe God reminded me! It's one of Aesop's fables, "The Crow and the Pitcher."

The Crow and the Pitcher

A Crow, half-dead with thirst, came upon a Pitcher which had once been full of water; but when the Crow put its beak into the mouth of the Pitcher he found that only very little water was left in it, and that he could not reach far enough down to get at it. He tried, and he tried, but at last had to give up in despair. Then a thought came to him, and he took a pebble and dropped it into the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped it into the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped that into the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped that into the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped that into the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped that into the Pitcher. At last, at last, he saw the water mount up near him, and after casting in a few more pebbles he was able to quench his thirst and save his life.

Little by little does the trick.

I'm not comparing myself or anyone else to a crow, but the lesson is clear to me. Nothing I do is on a grand scale, nor does it need to be. Bit by bit, one "pebble" at a time, I will keep my faith-witness alive and clear, and one day the Water of Life will rise in the pitcher until some thirsty person can have a drink.

MaryMartha

Influencers in My Life

I have known Faith since I was a child. She was well-accepted in our community, and had a special place in our home as she helped my busy parents in the rearing of six children. She was instrumental in my school life too, where she encouraged me to be responsible and kind. She helped me memorize Scripture verses for vacation Bible School, and I learned to rely on her for assurance in spiritual matters. She sometimes smoothed the pathway of relationships with my siblings, but she also chided me when I was in the wrong! She has lived up to her name as a faithful friend throughout my entire life.

And Will? He was never not a part of my life! I didn't really get to know him until I was several years old, perhaps two or so, but he was there from the beginning. Although good-hearted, he sometimes got me into trouble by devising mischief for us to perpetrate, and those are the times Faith got after me! He probably had a more substantial effect on my life than anyone realized—good, for the most part. When I was in my teens, he was one of the main reasons for my determined efforts to excel at everything I attempted. He may have pushed a little too hard sometimes, but without him, I might not have persevered. I am grateful for his steadfastness.

Faith and Will wed about the time I entered college. That was a surprise to me because I had often noted their dissimilarities. I watched their lives over several decades, however, and saw how harmoniously the two worked together. I learned a great deal through their combined influence. One of the most important things they did was to encourage me to become closer to Grace, their mutual friend. Faith had introduced me years ago, but I did little to nurture the relationship and Grace is not one to be pushy. Consequently, I did not really know Grace very well until I was into my middle adulthood. Her loving attitude and gentleness have helped re-shape some of the rough places in my life.

My FAITH has found a resting place,
Not in device or creed;
I trust the ever living One,
His wounds for me shall plead.
Refrain:
I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me. --Li­die H. Ed­munds, 1891

I can hear my Savior calling,
I can hear my Savior calling,
I can hear my Savior calling,
“Take thy cross and follow, follow Me.”
Refrain:
Where He leads me I WILL follow,
Where He leads me I WILL follow,
Where He leads me I WILL follow;
I’ll go with Him, with Him, all the way.—Ernest W. Blandly, 1890

Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis GRACE has brought me safe thus far,
And GRACE will lead me home.

The Lord has promis’d good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures. –John Newton, 1773 (?)

MaryMartha

Practice Makes Perfect . . . Sense

"Practice makes perfect," my teachers used to say. They wanted me to make, over and over again on my lined tablet, the ovals and strokes of the Palmer Method of Penmanship. I know I was very young; is it possible I learned cursive writing before or at the same time as manuscript? I understand that the inventor of the method recommended that it be taught exclusively, no printing first, so we dutifully practiced. My handwriting is legible— not perfect, but quite legible—and that came from that early practice

Ignace Jan Paderewski, one of the best-known musicians of his time (early twentieth century) as well as an influential Polish statesman, practiced his piano music endlessly. It could be argued that his performances were already "perfect," so why practice further? But he said, "If I miss one day of practice, I notice it. If I miss two days, the critics notice it. If I miss three days, the audience notices it."

Doctors and other medical professionals and attorneys may have spent a lifetime in their profession, and what they do is still called "practicing." There are bad jokes, of course, about why their work is a "practice," but in this instance, the word is not to be confused with rehearsing so as to acquire a competency. It is the practical application of the theories and skills presented in their training; the professionals are putting into "practice" their knowledge.

I wonder why we hear of "practicing Buddhists" and "practicing Jews" and other kinds of "practicing" believers, but we may never have even thought of the term, "a practicing Christian"? What would keep us from "practicing"? Have we decided it's just not possible to be perfect? Is it too hard to keep at it every day? Have we not learned anything that we could put into practice?

Because organized religions have certain customs and observances associated with them, the followers who adhere to these actions are said to be "practicing" their faith. Christians profess to be following Christ, in personal relationship with Him. Wouldn't practicing Christians be actively doing just that? Maybe not perfectly, but legibly. Every day, too, because otherwise our audience will be able to tell. And applying what we've learned in our heads to the action of heart and hands.

Practice makes perfect . . . sense.

MaryMartha

Don't Give Up the Dream!

Susan Boyle, an unemployed Scottish church lady brought down the house at the "Britain's Got Talent" auditions and has introduced "I Dreamed a Dream" (from Les Miserables) to a new generation. As of April 20, Reuters reported over 100.3 million online views of her performance and related materials. The song is actually quite a sad one, beginning with lines about excitement and high hopes and undying love, ending with hopelessness and disillusionment. The closing words are, "Now life has killed the dream I dreamed." I don't know whether or not it was intended, but Susan capitalized on the "dream" idea by explaining that she had not had the chance to fulfill her ambition of becoming a professional singer. She ignored the open skepticism of the audience and the rude presumptiveness Simon (one of the judges) didn't even bother to hide. She then proceeded to wow them all! Against the odds, at mid-life, she is still holding on to her dream.

A blogging friend of mine is headed this fall to a prestigious seminary on a full, merit-based scholarship. People wonder, she reports, how she happens to have such a wonderful opportunity, how almost like magic she reaches her goals, how she seems to have fairy dust sprinkled on her life. No, she would like to explain to them (but can't really), it has involved risk and lots of personal growth and a great deal of hard work. It has been some time in coming, but rather than give up the dream, she has pursued it and enlarged it and is ready to capture it.

Use of the word "dream" in Scripture usually means either a dream in the night or a special vision from God. Perhaps "ambition" or "compelling" may serve to mean the same as the "dream" we have for our future. The Apostle Paul wrote, "My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else." (Romans 15:20 NLT) He did exactly that in his missionary journeys! "Afterward Paul felt compelled by the Spirit [Or decided in his spirit, marg.] to go over to Macedonia and Achaia before going to Jerusalem. 'And after that,' he said, 'I must go on to Rome!' ” (Acts 19:21 NLT) Paul went to Rome as a prisoner, but he did get to Rome and was an effective witness there. Finally he wrote, "This is the only race worth running. I've run hard right to the finish, believed all the way. All that's left now is the shouting—God's applause!" (II Timothy 4:7, 8 MSG) What would the world have been like if Paul had not dreamed? What a great loss to the Church if we did not have the letters which were born of his dream?

Don't give up your dream! This is the race worth running! Run hard right to the finish, believing all the way!

MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)

A related post: I Have a Dream

Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved. Scripture marked MSG is taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com

Blinders

Early in my childhood, my father had a team of horses which he used for some of the field work on the farm. These were huge draft animals, at least huge to a person who was only three feet tall! There are many straps and bands, rings and buckles that make up the harness of a work horse, but I really remember only one: the blinders that were attached to the bridle. These were fascinating to me. Why would you not want the team of horses to see where they were going?

That's just it. The horses could see where they were going, but that's all. The blinders prevented them from seeing to the rear or side. Their attention was not diverted by every little sound or movement around them, and so they stayed focused on the task at hand. They were not as likely to be "spooked" by the sudden appearance of a jack rabbit jumping up or a quail whirring away in flight.

We may have something to learn from the horses' blinders. How easily our attention is drawn away from what is before us! The Apostle Paul talked about staying on task. "I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us." (Philippians 3:13, 14) A great many things around us compete for our attention, but not every thing is deserving! We can choose what is worth our time and attention, and then turn our "blinders" toward the other things that would simply consume those personal resources without profit.

MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)

Scripture quotation is taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com

Little by Little

The children of Israel were preparing to take over Canaan, the land God had promised to Abraham and his descendants. It was, however, inhabited by enemy nations that would have to be defeated. God gave Moses instructions for the people. "The Lord your God will drive those nations out ahead of you little by little. You will not clear them away all at once, otherwise the wild animals would multiply too quickly for you." (Deuteronomy 7:22)

Many of our personal battles, too, are not won in a day. We often wish they were; we want quick action, and quick answers to our prayers. We've become accustomed to immediacy, from the microwave in the kitchen to the red telephone on the President's desk. In reality, most things take time.

A number if years ago, a cousin and I were both enrolled in a graduate program at a university located in another city. For several semesters, we commuted the ninety miles or so together. Trying to balance jobs and motherhood and church involvement along with part-time schooling was a daunting task, and many times it looked like it couldn't be done. She reminded me often, when we were both tired and facing difficulties on every front, "It will yield to steady pressure."

Steady pressure is a very powerful force. Why does a building suddenly collapse under the weight of the snow piled on its roof for several days? How can a dental appliance correct the alignment of teeth or jaws? The snow did not suddenly become heavier; the braces didn't suddenly push harder. The roof, the teeth, yielded to steady pressure. Little by little, while not anything apparent was happening, preparation was being made for change. In our personal lives too, some things just cannot be accomplished quickly. Sometimes it is a matter of praying and then waiting patiently for the right circumstances to come around. Other times, only our consistent, determined effort will bring the results we desire.

When God aided His people to conquer Canaan, it was only "little by little." How tragic it would have been to win their battles only to be overpowered by the wild animals which lived in the land. If every difficulty of ours were to be solved immediately, who knows what dangers might lay ahead of us in subtle forms we did not expect? God's timing protects us!

MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)

Scripture quotation taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com

Things Mama Taught Me: "Your Face Will Freeze That Way"

I don't know why my mother never told me about the possibility of permanent face-itis when I was grinning or merely looking pleasant! It was always when I was scowling that she warned me, "Watch out! Your face will freeze that way."

Mama was partly right. When we perform the same physical motion repeatedly, after awhile we create what is called "muscle memory." Our subconscious mind records and remembers the exact position and tension of every muscle used in making the action. After a great many repetitions, the muscle memory becomes so strong that we can perform the action without even thinking about it. It is just automatic.

A couple of us in my exercise class were telling the instructor that when we practice at home, we get stalled partway through the routine because we can't remember what comes next. "Don't worry about it," he told us. "It will get easier. You will build in muscle memory." He was saying that eventually our bodies would just know what to do, and we wouldn't have to work so hard at consciously remembering.

People that I meet won't care whether or not I can use opposing hands and feet to kick-and-punch. (This is not on people, I must add. This is a bunch of arthritic old folks!) They will respond, though, to the habit my face muscles have. Gospel quartets used to sing, "Give the world a smile each day, helping someone on life's way." Smiling is not as complex a performance as dancing or typing or playing the piano, but it does become easier to do with practice.

And so does frowning, my mother knew.

MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com

Responsibility for the Life You Have

“The first step toward having the life you want is taking responsibility for the life you have now.”

Our society has developed a lot of “victims.” Anyone who looks hard enough can find logical reasons for being who and what they are: poor parenting, a traumatic incident, mental illness, disability, situations of abuse, the list goes on and on. I do not want to minimize how these conditions affect the lives of those who experience them; these are not small matters. It takes great courage and perhaps even obstinacy to overcome the tremendous odds against a happy and productive life. That is just my point. Rather than accepting the role of victim, some people have found the necessary courage and determination within themselves to rise above their difficult circumstances.

In recent months, I have read the sad but inspiring true accounts of such individuals: poor parenting (Blue Genes: A Memoir of Loss and Survival), trauma (Amish Grace), mental illness (Izzy & Lenore: Two Dogs, an Unexpected Journey, and Me), disability (Against Medical Advice), abuse (Leaving the Saints), financial ruin and homelessness (Breakfast at Sally’s). These stories show me that it is difficult, but not impossible, to take charge of your life instead of succumbing to self-justification, complaints about the unfairness of life, and accusations against those who have done you wrong.

Many speakers and writers have likened life to a game of cards, where one of the rules is that you have to play the hand you are dealt. In some games, you may be able to draw some other cards, trade a few, or capture someone else’s. Only a poor sport would throw his/her cards down and say, “I don’t like my hand; I’m not going to play.” In one respect, the game analogy for life does hold true: Nobody has control over where he/she starts in life, that is, the circumstances into which one is born and the early events and influences. Nobody has control over later tragedy that can alter life in an instant. He/she must play the hand they have been dealt.

Different from a game is the opportunity life gives to make clear-cut choices. As you gain independence from childhood or from the numbness of trauma, you have a greater degree of self-determination. You can, in fact, say, “I don’t like the hand I’ve been given but I can’t change that. I don’t like what I’ve done with my hand. I’m starting over.”

That choice is not easy, because the difficult circumstances that gave life its rough patch are still there. But having made that choice, begin looking around for help. Ask God for courage and insight. Learn how other people rebuilt their lives. Consider whether professional counsel might benefit you. See if journaling contributes to your progress or whether you can talk with a supportive friend.

Don’t be in a hurry! If you spent years making the life you now have, it may take awhile to build the life you want. But it is there for you!

MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com

Plodding Wins the Race

A take on Aesop’s fable, “The Tortoise and the Hare":

One day a young person was boasting to his friends about his magnificent plans for Christian ministry. He would travel worldwide; throngs of people would come to hear him preach. He would have radio and TV programs; he would write books. He would have a state-of-the-art website. His name would become a household word, synonymous with evangelism, missionary zeal, and relief efforts to the needy. And the money would pour in.

In the same church was a little elderly lady whose sole income was her monthly government check. She had served many years in various capacities: a children’s Sunday School teacher, a maker of cookies for the youth bake sale, a seamstress of Christmas play costumes, sacrificial contributor to missionary offerings. And she prayed a lot. That was mostly all she could do now that she could not see and hear very well.

Occasionally the young man, now a little older and somewhat weary, would return to his home church and tell of his accomplishments. The little lady didn’t have a great deal to show for her efforts except faithful Christians she had taught as youngsters, and a whole generation of young parents who knew she cared about them, and a scrapbook full of letters from missionaries. But she persisted in her faithful prayers

After a number of years went by, the flaming preacher-evangelist-missionary-writer-TV personality-webmaster “burned out.” His family had suffered from his inattention; now it was time to tend to their needs. He grew tired of traveling. He ran out of things to say on his broadcasts; he didn’t produce any new books. His website languished. Finally, he took a secular job “just for a year,” and soon it was three years and then five. Usually he attended worship services, but not at his home church—too embarrassing. He didn’t quit God, but he practically quit the race. Meanwhile, the little lady kept on praying.

One day a missionary speaker came who told of a perilous situation from which they had a miraculous deliverance. When they mentioned the date of that experience, the little lady said to herself, “Ah! That’s the night I was awakened to pray for that missionary family. Thank you, Jesus!” One day she got a letter from a wayward grandson. “Guess what, Grandma! I’ve been saved!” She said out loud, “At last! Oh, thank you, Jesus!” Another time, a young mother in the congregation, dangerously ill during her pregnancy, recovered fully and delivered a healthy baby. “Oh, thank you, dear Jesus!” the little lady whispered to herself. Until she died, she kept praying. She never once thought the race was too hard or too long or too hopeless. She never quit.

So who really won?

MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com

Well-Rooted Weeds

Drawing illustrations from Scripture, our religious instructors may sometimes urge us to “Be like a tree,” or “Be like the ant,” or “Be like a flower.” But did you ever hear the instruction, “Be like a weed”?

Setting aside for the moment noxious plants like poison ivy and bindweed, look at the common, ordinary weeds like the kind that grow up in the sidewalk cracks or along a building. Talk about persistence! If only our tomatoes and lettuce and begonias were so hardy!

One of the things that makes these weeds so vigorous is their ability to put down an effective root system. When I pull up a weed from between sections of sidewalk, I am sometimes astonished at the length of the root it has developed. It seems totally out of proportion to the small leafy structure that is visible above ground. Because that weed gets almost no rain and certainly no watering by me, it has reached far below the surface to find the moisture it needs.

Similarly, weeds I pull from the pebble-covered seating area of my yard have roots that serve them well. Because there is landscape fabric beneath the pebbles, these roots cannot penetrate deeply enough to find the water they require. Their water basin is quite shallow, so instead of growing a deep root system, they develop one that is very wide with many tiny fibers to draw in the necessary moisture.

These observations made me consider how we go about getting what we need—not food or shelter alone, but the things that nourish us inwardly like music and prayer, friendship and a whole list of other intangibles. (See entry, “Maintenance.”) We have to develop a system that brings us those things. Find out what works for you, and do more of it! Find out what doesn’t work, and stop putting so much effort into it!

Be like a weed!

MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)

email: mrymrtha@gmail.com