The Soil of the Soul

What an amazingly beautiful Sabbath today is! I've been outside since early morning, first just to sit on the patio to simply be. The breeze was cooling, the sun not yet warm, and the sky an incredible clear blue. After finishing a second cup of coffee, I decided to do a little straightening up to make my patio into the outside living area it is supposed to be. The construction is now finished, the  new roof is on, and so items can be placed as I want them.

The madevilla is very showy in its spacious green pots at each corner of the patio. And the color of the blossoms accentuates so well the new red door going into the house. I spent some time reading about it on the Clemson Extension website only to find out it needs a lot of care in transitional times, and I will have to bring it inside in the colder months along with the philodendron and the palm plant on the front porch. I think my daughter may be right when she says that her dad and I live in a jungle. I do love having green and flowery plants around me.

In my new garden out back, I have planted a lot of purple items. First, there's an azalea, but I actually don't know what color those blossoms will be. Then, there are the irises that I transplanted. I know they are purple, but they haven't bloomed in a few years because they weren't getting enough sunlight. They won't have that excuse now! Then, there's the butterfly bush that I placed in the center of the bed. It's definitely purple and is already attracting butterflies. Today, I put another little shrub out there that I had in a pot. It was root bound, and I thought it might like to try life in a garden instead. The trees got a new dose of mulch and everything is getting water as I write this entry.

The garden of our souls needs just as much love and care as the gardens in our back yard. I have a vision for my garden, and I'm slowly but surely achieving that vision. Our souls need a vision as well. They need pruning, weeding, watering, and good fertilizer. They are the delight of God with whom we share the light of Creation and the light of life. To me, the key ingredient of a healthy soul is expressed in the tension between Sabbath and community. We need time to be alone with God, and we need a community of believers who can support us with prayer and fellowship.

On September 24, Michael and I are going to try an experiment. We're going to begin a house church. We don't really have much of a clue about how to do this, but we've invited our friends to join us, and we'll see where it goes. We know we want to follow a Celtic spirituality format, to include silence and study, and we want people to be able to worship God in a safe, non-institutional setting. I'm looking forward to the experience. If you have an interest in joining us, please feel free to contact me about particulars.

For now, I continue to weed and water, prune and enjoy the bounty of God's love. May you, too, have that abundance of love from the Creator God who sustains us from within and without.