In Search of My Mother’s Garden

I have this little garden stone that says, “In search of my mother’s garden I found my own.”  I treasure that little stone because it is a reminder to me to cherish all the things my mother left me: her love, her faith and her lessons in life and gardening.

The little stone is not just about gardening, although I probably love gardening as much as my mother did, it’s about the garden of our life.  A garden full of living: walking with the Lord, marriage, raising children, friendships, work, good times and struggles, season after season. 

In searching for my mother’s garden, I only had to go back in my memory and make note of all the things that were important to her and review many of the things she taught me.  I see now that I have drawn from those standards when raising my own family.  These were my mother’s instructions to live by: 

1.Love the Lord God with all your heart. 

2. The golden rule from Matthew 7:12, she said this many times, “treat people the way you, yourself would want to be treated.” Basically, both of these first two come from Matthew 22:37-39 the Greatest Commandments.

3. Always do your best.

4. Put other’s needs above your own.

5. Love with all your heart.

6. Give people the benefit of the doubt, because you never know what they are going through.

7. Be fair.

8. Love nature.

9. Enjoy growing things.

10. Never let anyone go hungry.

My mother and my grandmother knew these guidelines well.  They were the kindest and most loving women.  They always had a smile, a hug and something to eat!  My grandmother taught my mother, and she taught me, then I taught my children the best I could.

Isn’t that the way it is supposed to be? So, when we look at the world today what’s happened?

Psalm 78:4 We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders.

I feel the missing factor is the Lord.   The truths have been hidden. Some of the recent generations have forsaken these teaching because of busyness, possibly sports and other activities on Sunday competing with attending church, getting ahead and many more things.

 Without teaching about our Lord and what he has done for us, all these principles of the golden rule, eternal life, and important life lessons, have fallen by the wayside and are increasingly lost to each new generation. I feel we have come to the point that precious children are to some (but heartbreakingly too many) something to discard, sell or abuse.  Relationships are temporary leaving children and adults without the ability to emotionally connect and feel secure and stable, neighbors are often avoided and people are often used as stepping stones, instead of lifelong friends. How incredibly devastating to our society and what God loves, people.

In today’s world there’s not much searching for anything from the past like the truth or the lessons from the good old ways.  All those things are considered Old fashioned. 

Well old fashioned or not, it is our responsibility as parents and grandparents to talk to our children as much as we can about the Lord and teach them how to pray.  We can instill into them the golden rule, the greatest commandments and what Christ did for us on the cross. If we don’t, will anyone else?  When their eternal future is at stake, are we willing to take that risk?  The Bible says in Isaiah 55:11, God’s word will not return void.  When our children or grandchildren go through hard times, God will help them remember the things we taught them and they will know who to seek and how to pray when things get rough for them.  

So, in searching for my mother’s garden, I did find my own.  I believe the one God wanted me to have.  The one He laid on my mother’s heart to give me BECAUSE she stayed in relationship with Him and did not forsake Him. It all comes down to priorities and what is most important in our lives. What’s important to you?  How’s your garden? Will a little garden stone like mine even mean anything to future generations? It’s a whole lot harder to regain what we have lost, but then there’s God, that’s where our hope lies but we still have to do our part.  Each generation needs to speak of these things to the next and teach them how to tend the gardens of their lives.  

Prayer

Lord, we need you Lord even when we are too busy to admit it.  Our families need you and the world needs you.  Show us how to get back to your way of living and your word.  Help us make YOU a priority.  Give us the courage to share the faith you have given us, and help us care enough for others to do so. Tend our gardens Lord and take out the weeds so we can flourish in your care.  Thank you, Lord, In Jesus’ name, amen.

God Bless,

Sally