By Maureen Buckingham              

God’s Word uses many plant illustrations to teach us. As I have been gardening, God has been reminding me of these spiritual principles that apply to our lives. ‘Lessons from My Garden’ is to encourage you to always keep your heart open to God’s ways and teaching. Whether you are smelling the roses, trimming the tree or even pulling weeds, reflect on God and His work in your life.

Lesson #1

The first lesson I have learned is that I do not have a green thumb. Anyway…moving along, I do love flowers.

My daughter Jenell, unlike myself, does have a green thumb (not sure how that happened). She had a beautiful flower bed on her front yard however it was planted by the previous owner so Jenell wanted to switch it up a bit. When she told me she was going to remove the rose bushes I was actually surprised and somewhat shocked as they were so beautiful and healthy. Regardless, she still wanted change and suggested I could transplant them to my garden. I have never attempted that before but if she thought it was possible I was more than willing to have some roses.

So she dug them up, put them in pails and we drove them home. Mike put one right by my front deck so I can see roses as I come and go. The other bush was put out back to enjoy while relaxing on my patio furniture.

To be honest, I was a little concerned about this whole process working so when spring came I began paying close attention to the bushes. “They look dead to me”.

As spring continued I thought the bushes looked like dead branches sticking out of the ground. I even suggested we dig them up. But one day I noticed new growth and I got excited. Little by little new branches grew and then – roses - big beautiful red roses bloomed.

The only thing was the dead branches were still there as we had decided to leave them alone until we were sure the plants were going to come forth. For a short time the bushes had the new beautiful growth with a few old dead branches which made them look kind of deformed.

I am happy to say, that I have just cut away all the old parts of the plants (the same parts that were once healthy and flourishing in Jenell’s yard). The only parts of the plants that are now needed and useful are the areas of new growth.

Transplanted: Have you been recently transplanted? Maybe you have changed churches, moved to a different town, have a new circles of relationships etc.

It can be so hard for us to accept or even imagine that maybe all the beautiful roses and leaves our lives once produced and that at one time blessed others are no longer appropriate where we are now and have lost some of their life and usefulness….they don’t fit or even look right.

So often we fight the fact that the previous fruitful areas have become old and need to be discarded as the new season and placement brings forth new life. We will not become a useful part of the garden if we hold onto growth from last season that no longer has life flowing through it.

Of course the roots of the plant were necessary but that was the only part of the plant from Jenell’s garden that was now needed or relevant here.

God planted you and at times will transplant you. The lifeless branches do not mean you are no longer needed or are useless because the roots are still there and are alive.  But now as a plant of all new growth, the beauty of the roses show forth aspects of our God and bless everyone who passes. You fill that place of need and glorify God when you surrender the old and bring forth life wherever you are planted.