The Garden 2

Monday I swore I would make it to the garden everyday this week.  By Friday I was kneeling in the rows weeding like crazy for the first time, while the wind whipped around me and the clouds threatened rain.  The kids were playing nicely (I hoped) with their Great Grandma in the house and I had snuck out saying I had to check on the garden and it would only be a minute.
     I knew my one minute would most likely be 20 (if the weather held) and I had to triage the situation.  If any corn was growing, the tiny plants were completely hidden beneath the carpet of weeds and I didn't know what tiny corn plants looked like anyway.  The potatoes were easy to distinguish and thus far had proved to be the most industrial and hearty- they could wait another day, or week.  The peas were being eaten by some terrible viney weed that was easy enough to pull, but never really seemed to go away.  And the onions, if there were any onions left, were completely hidden.
   Two rows, I rationalized I had time for two rows and the peas and onions couldn't wait.  I knelt down and my calves screamed, still sore from the beating I had given them on Monday.  I crawled, pulling weeds like crazy left and right focusing on the area directly around the plants.
        How easy it seemed for the weeds to flourish while the gaps in the rows were evidence of planted seeds that refused to grow.  It reminded me of a friend who had recently pointed out that 'The best things in life arn't free, it's the worst things in life that come to us easily'.  I started to wax philosophical as my wrist cramped and the weeds refused to budge.
     I thought of how the garden seemed symbolic of my week.  My in-laws were gone, enjoying a Alaskan cruise and I wanted to make the sure the house was cleaner than clean upon their Friday return.  I had started my cleaning crusade on Tuesday- tackling the parts of the house that seemed to need the attention most.  Of course these were the dishes, the floor under the table and the toy room.  As I worked each day, practically detailing the stove top and carpet under the table- I noticed that I didn't seem to be making much progress.  The toys that I put away were instantly replaced by new once, the counters only stayed clean until the next meal and it seems a newly vacuumed carpet is a magnet for crumbs.  By Thursday night I had given up "cleaner than clean" and was now shooting for- no toys or clothes on the floor and counters wiped off.
    The garden was almost mocking my previous efforts at weeding and I scolded myself for the wasted effort weeding the outskirts a few weeks ago.  I was unsure of which plants were weeds and which should stay and so I justified weeding the unplanted portion of the garden where it was easy to spot what was bad, because it all was!  I pulled out large weeds and felt like a very successful gardener as my pile grew and the area cleared up.  I now saw that the tiny effort of identifying the baby weeds and easily plucking them from where seeds had been planted, would have saved me hours of work I was now doomed to spend days doing.
    I then began to think about how spending my week trying to clean was indeed a noble venture, like pulling weeds from the vacant section of garden.  But like weeding around the plants, my time at home could have more valuably been spent with my kids.  After a week of sweating and scrubbing and yelling at everyone to stop making messes- the house looked the same and I could tell from the amount of trouble my kids were getting into today- that they had been missing the quality time with Mom.
   Suddenly metaphors started springing up everywhere and I was reminded of conference talks left and right.  The sunflowers were not necessarily a weed, they had once been intentionally planted and would yield a crop if left to grow.  But they were encroaching on areas that had been designated for other crops, they were far from the worst thing that could grow and would indeed be beautiful, but there were taking the place of better things and had to be pulled.  I had not chosen the best use of my time this week and my mind drifted to Elder Oaks talk on "Good, Better, and Best".
    I enjoyed the last few minutes weeding my two rows and realized that like the garden, I had to prioritize my life.  It was so tempting to throw myself into the garden, intent on getting every weed and sitting there until it looked perfect- but that would never happen.  Just like at home I could try to have a clean house, with 3 fantastic and healthy homemade meals a day, clean clothes on my perfectly groomed children who were taught the ABC's, 123's and a lesson from the primary manual each day.  I could kill myself focusing on everything around me everyday, but that's not realistic.  Like those two rows in the garden I had to focus myself on what was most important each day.  Everyday that will always be scripture study, prayer, family and service- and whatever else I can squeeze in will be bonus!    That means that the floors will rarely be clean, a ponytail will have to suffice now and then and if dinner has a vegetable or two in it we are winning!

    Right now the weeds appear to be winning.  It's is neck and neck and there is much to do if we will ever pull ahead.  But I've seen this garden before.  Each fall the zucchini sprawl across the rows and bushes of potato plants, tomatoes and peppers impede the path.  It is difficult to get through the garden to harvest because of the bounty that has grown.  There are still weeds here and there, but you wouldn't know it at first glance.  I have to keep that picture in mind as I toil in the garden, focusing on the most important thing that day.