Pull the Weeds Up!!

I never thought a Saturday morning of yard work would be so profound. Let's get this straight. I have allergies. I don't do outside. I don't do bugs. I don't do dirt, and I'm not a fan of heat.
I'm not completely new to yard work, but let's just say it's been a while. I used to help my grandfather in his garden in exchange for playing in the sprinklers afterward.

So, here I am with my face mask, gloves, and hoe... and God starts to speak.

My grandfather always told me:

1. Pull the weeds up straight.
2. Make sure you pull the roots up.
3. Use the hoe to help you.
4. Repeat.

Pull the weeds up straight.
Lesson: So, you have to get the whole weed not just what's visible. Weeds have strong roots. What you see on the surface is only a tiny bit of what's happening underground. If you just pick what you see, you're not really dealing with the issue only what's visible. Go deep!

Make sure you pull the roots up.
Lesson: Get to the root. Take the time. Do the work. Put in the sweat equity. Don't let those roots stay in the ground. They will produce and multiply and overrun your garden. They will choke out your plants and whatever else you are trying to grow.

Sidenote: Some weeds look like grass and you can't tell the difference until you pull it out and see the root.

Sidenote 2: Be careful about who you keep close. Some of them are weeds. Their sole purpose is to grow with you to ultimately hinder you. All weeds don't stifle growth, some just stifle your maturity.

Matthew 13:24-30 The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares

Use the hoe to help you.
My Native New Orleanian is screaming, "there are some hoes in your life who can help you." Cue my organ.

See Joshua 2 Rahab and the Spies. (Rahab was instrumental in God's plan for the Battle of Jericho)

Lesson: There are people in your life who have learned the lesson....the hard way so, you don't have to!!! Glean from their experience and understanding.

Sidenote: A hoe is a garden tool. Its sole purpose is to be used. I'll stop right there.

Repeat
Lesson: You can't just stop because you pulled up one weed. There's more. Gardening is messy work. Your hands will get dirty. It requires strength. It's uncomfortable. It's a process, but the results are worth it.

Pull the weeds up from the garden of your heart. Get to the root. Use the tools that God has given you and ask for help if you need it. Pull the weeds up!!!









 

Lesson

I've been watching Black Love and Red Table Talk. If you haven't had a chance to tune in, it's worth the time. There are so many jewels about parenting, love, life, and relationships. Someone said, "I've learned as much from my failures as I have from my successes. Maybe more." Someone else said, "there are lessons to be learned from your pain." I began to think that maybe we don't learn the lesson from our pain. Maybe we get caught up in cyclic and toxic relationships because they are comfortable. Maybe we enjoy being a victim because there is less responsibility in it. Maybe it's easier not to learn the lesson.

Jewels

I grew up in barbershops and salons. In the African American community, this is where uncensored conversations about sex, money, politics, current events and religion occurred. As a child, I knew better than to join the conversation, but I did learn how to listen and digest what I was hearing. I learned to see things from a variety of perspectives whether I agreed or not. I learned about consequences from foolish behavior. I learned about successes from hard work. I learned that relationships are complicated. I learned that marriage takes work. I learned what men want and what women desire.

I learned to respect these "jewels" that were given. I learned that everything did not have to be experienced, and that I could learn vicariously. These men and women gave me "jewels" I still carry. They gave me wisdom and insight. I thank God for all the lessons and all the love given to this "young buck." I thank God for the men who stood in the place of my father and all the "mothers" who raised me.

I was blessed to have a host of strong women around me. My grandmother dropped domestic jewels and was my first example of a wife and mother. My mother is an enduring example of strength and perseverance. My godmother is an example of what fortitude looks like and one of my earliest examples of what it meant to truly blend a family. I have a host of mentors, "aunties", play cousins and friends who constantly shower me with "jewels" from their joy, their pain, and their triumphs.

Thank you for your time, your tenth, and your talent. Thank you for showing me that marriage and motherhood doesn't look the same for everyone. Thank you for your jewels. Happy Mother's Day.