This weekend at our worship services at CVC, Pastor John said something that I just loved: "The grass isn't greener on the other side. The grass is greener where it's being watered..." Now his series of talks have been on marriage and relationships, and he was talking about people thinking other marriages or spouses look 'greener'; but I really took this to heart. What are the other areas in my life that I think aren't so hot, and am I watering those??
I could easily see it being applied to my kids. When they misbehave or act out and I wish for someone else's children or someone else's parenting techniques (Super Nanny where are you?), have I been putting effort into training them up? Can I honestly say that I've been the mom that God has called me to be, or am I just cruising through life hoping they'll just know how I want them to behave?
What about my home? Or my job? Or even the relationships I have with other people? Am I putting water on the grass, or am I hoping that somehow everything will just work out and everything won't die?! Being new to a community is difficult. Trying to fit in and find 'my place' at church, at work, or with people. But if I don't step out and make an effort (aka: water the grass) then how do I expect anything to happen? If the grass around me gets all brown and starts dying- what good has that done me, or anyone else?
I'm not saying it's easy: kids, jobs, marriage, moving, fitting in, getting involved, relationships. But instead of looking around and wishing for this or that, or asking God to change this or that- maybe I should start the sprinklers and water the grass around me; take some baby steps and put an honest effort into those areas of my life that may be looking a little dry... (And I can't resist this- the sprinkler I would use is those ones the kids love with all those flailing arms that spray in all different directions at random intervals...)
I could go on and on with this analogy...like saying too much water isn't good either... But for now I'll just stick with watering my own yard and enjoying the grass I've been given.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
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Sunday, June 29, 2008
Watering the grass...
This weekend at our worship services at CVC, Pastor John said something that I just loved: "The grass isn't greener on the other side. The grass is greener where it's being watered..." Now his series of talks have been on marriage and relationships, and he was talking about people thinking other marriages or spouses look 'greener'; but I really took this to heart. What are the other areas in my life that I think aren't so hot, and am I watering those??
I could easily see it being applied to my kids. When they misbehave or act out and I wish for someone else's children or someone else's parenting techniques (Super Nanny where are you?), have I been putting effort into training them up? Can I honestly say that I've been the mom that God has called me to be, or am I just cruising through life hoping they'll just know how I want them to behave?
What about my home? Or my job? Or even the relationships I have with other people? Am I putting water on the grass, or am I hoping that somehow everything will just work out and everything won't die?! Being new to a community is difficult. Trying to fit in and find 'my place' at church, at work, or with people. But if I don't step out and make an effort (aka: water the grass) then how do I expect anything to happen? If the grass around me gets all brown and starts dying- what good has that done me, or anyone else?
I'm not saying it's easy: kids, jobs, marriage, moving, fitting in, getting involved, relationships. But instead of looking around and wishing for this or that, or asking God to change this or that- maybe I should start the sprinklers and water the grass around me; take some baby steps and put an honest effort into those areas of my life that may be looking a little dry... (And I can't resist this- the sprinkler I would use is those ones the kids love with all those flailing arms that spray in all different directions at random intervals...)
I could go on and on with this analogy...like saying too much water isn't good either... But for now I'll just stick with watering my own yard and enjoying the grass I've been given.
I could easily see it being applied to my kids. When they misbehave or act out and I wish for someone else's children or someone else's parenting techniques (Super Nanny where are you?), have I been putting effort into training them up? Can I honestly say that I've been the mom that God has called me to be, or am I just cruising through life hoping they'll just know how I want them to behave?
What about my home? Or my job? Or even the relationships I have with other people? Am I putting water on the grass, or am I hoping that somehow everything will just work out and everything won't die?! Being new to a community is difficult. Trying to fit in and find 'my place' at church, at work, or with people. But if I don't step out and make an effort (aka: water the grass) then how do I expect anything to happen? If the grass around me gets all brown and starts dying- what good has that done me, or anyone else?
I'm not saying it's easy: kids, jobs, marriage, moving, fitting in, getting involved, relationships. But instead of looking around and wishing for this or that, or asking God to change this or that- maybe I should start the sprinklers and water the grass around me; take some baby steps and put an honest effort into those areas of my life that may be looking a little dry... (And I can't resist this- the sprinkler I would use is those ones the kids love with all those flailing arms that spray in all different directions at random intervals...)
I could go on and on with this analogy...like saying too much water isn't good either... But for now I'll just stick with watering my own yard and enjoying the grass I've been given.
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1 comment:
Wendy,
What a cool way to take that illustration to the next step. Whatever area we let PRoverbs 3:5-6 be our guide will flourish.
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