A Mother's Garden

A tired young mother knelt down by her bed
at the end of a stress-filled day.
"Dear God, I need help and direction from You,
to bring up my children Your way."
She took her dusty Bible down from the shelf
and wearily started to read,
but she drifted to sleep and started to dream
of a garden, ready for seed.
 
She heard a sweet voice speaking loud and clear:
"My grace is sufficient for you.
Just listen to the words I am speaking;
whatever I say to you - do.
The heart of each child is a garden, and
it needs to be tended with care.
I will give you all that you require
if you water your own heart with prayer.
Warm nurture and firm admonition
are both needed to balance the soil.
Come often to Me for instruction and strength
as in their hearts' garden you toil."
 
The next day, she started preparing the ground;
she planned it with tender care.
She wanted only the finest of plants
to grow in her garden there.
She quickly planted some seeds of kindness
next to her rows of sweet peace;
then gentleness and goodness side-by-side,
she planted down on her knees.
Slow-growing patience, self-control and joy
were all dropped in, one-by-one.
When she added true faithfulness and love,
she thought all her hard work was done.
 
Suddenly weeds appeared in the garden,
just when her seeds began to sprout,
so she carefully wielded the tool of faith
and dug the harmful weeds out.
Then she nurtured and watered the seedlings
with the thirst-quenching Word of God.
She staked her young plants with hand-woven cords
as they struggled to break through the sod.
Just as her Lord had promised that night,
she never was left all alone;
He showed her the way and He guided her hand
as each tiny seed was sown.
 
At last it was time for the harvest;
the mother had given her best.
The hearts of her children were fruitful for God,
and she was eternally blessed!

~ Connie Faust ~

...the fruit
of the
Spirit
is
love,
joy,
peace,
patience,
kindness,
goodness,
faithfulness,
gentleness,
and
self-control.
(Galatians 5:22)

[ by: Connie Faust, Copyright © 2007 (beracah@evenlink.com) -- submitted by: Connie Faust ]