Adventures in the yard-Chapter 1

The world has no fear like a woman on fire for weeds! This week marked the second installment of making my house a home.  After multiple visits to Lowe’s, Home Depot and almost every DIY website known to mankind I finally tackled one of the deserted areas of my front lawn. Stay tuned for more adventures as I circle south to the backyard.

At first I had my mental list of “I’m never doing that” and “I’m not touching that with a ten foot pole”.  I was weirded out by the faux fountain that had been in the yard since before time. The abnormally large ornamental grass and the twice dead yard mulch that originated from an unidentified color category and now looks, well let’s just say it’s two shades to the wind of being a hot mess.

All of my plans were thrown out of the window when I started to rake away the existing mulch to take a peek at what was underneath. What I discovered was surprising. The ground underneath had no weeds, no grass but just sand. The sand was in beautiful condition, if you can call sand beautiful. As I raked away at more of the mulch my surprise turned to joy as I unveiled the hidden treasure, ready to design perfect sand.

It's hard for my thoughts not to wonder to how this must be how God views me. Through experiences in life which leads to our choices. The choices that our soul endures and then how it rocks, good or bad, our spirit. For me this was represented by the mulch. The muck from my life made me hide the woman that I am, the beauty within. Now, I’m not talking about the beauty one can receive from the perfect foundation and lip gloss combo (God bless Mally Cosmetics for her glorious beauty inventions). No, I’m talking about a beauty so amazing that it only comes from within. This is how God see’s me. If there is a weed He wants to yank it out by the roots.  If everything is dry He brings moisture to soften the ground & bring forth an abundant harvest. If I cry He wipes the tears. And when it is time to change He gently holds the mirror up for me to see those things that don’t belong in my life. This list I find is becoming extensive.

Shortly, after the sand discovery I planted a few drought worthy full sun tolerant plants like Aztec grass. Next, I slapped in some eight foot yard timber, repositioned the faux fountain and white rock. I then found out the rock was not fake at all and presto I was done.  (Note to those fellow DIY lovers-I’m making this sound easier than it is. Take your time, drink plenty of water and be open to a change in design once you see things coming together) I stood back and beamed with pride on my work.  It may not make the cover of Better Home and Garden but to me it makes the walk up to the home inviting.

This is all nice but I then realized that the desire to make the house a home can quickly become an idol, like so many things that start off as enjoyment and then can turn sour. I've began to trade old life experiences with new ones, realizing that experiences are just that and the bad ones don't have to define you for the rest of your life. 

I’m thankful for what I now call the “mulch moment”.  For me, it was as if the Lord was showing me that underneath the covering that I once felt so comfortable in resides my true unique self. Smooth, refined God created sand with a beauty all its own.

Enjoy the before

 

and after pictures…