Picking Pecans

I have had a quite a list of things to do around the house and yard.  I don't try to get it all done. I was alone with my infant son today listening to Sinatra and working on a bathroom project. In the middle of some very important and precise measurement taking he decided that he wanted to be the center of my world...and after only a few minutes hesitation I let him. It has gotten easier and easier over the years to set aside tools, books, computers, etc to just sit with one or more of my children.  Who knew it would take so long and be so hard for me to learn to just sit, clear my mind, and absorb whatever beautiful chaos comes forth from my children.  Maybe now I can do the same with Jesus.

There are some pecan trees on my neighbor's side of the property line that hang way out over my property and drop their golden produce on my grass. He graciously (probably unknowingly and uncaringly...but I have given him the benefit of the doubt!) has said nothing about it. Normally, we gather a few of the precious nuts but the majority are left  for the squirrels. However, every year more and more little pecan trees shoot up from my grass in the spring. I mow them down but they have become a slight nuisance. Every year I consider mounting an expedition to gather the nuts; but I invariably avoid the whole process of getting down on my hands and knees in the wet, mushy grass whilst scrounging for nuts, many of which still bear remnants of their outer husks. Thus, my dilemma.

I almost had a solution this year. I included nut gathering as one of my children's disciplines.  But school and inclement weather have conspired against me. The nuts are on the ground now and should be gathered quickly to avoid losing the meat to rot and mold. What to do?!

This is one of those problems that I did not take to The Lord because I know that I don't have a problem that couldn't be solved by a little put-out.  But He decided to intervene anyway. I found myself waiting for a delivery this afternoon. The vendor had called and said he was on the way...minutes away. While standing on the front lawn, surrounded by hundreds of pecans, I saw an empty 5 gallon bucket and decided to pick up a few nuts. 2 hours later the delivery arrived...I had 20lbs of nuts and a mostly clear lawn! My fingers are a bit raw right now but not bleeding.

I had a thought while kneeling in the grass today. Why did I struggle for so long against completing such a simple task? Then I considered other simple tasks I often leave undone...many of them spiritual. The damage done to my lawn is an annoyance and fairly minimal, but will require serious and extended work to undo. The damage to my soul and relationship with Jesus is, shall we say, much more vital.

My lawn still performs its ornamental task. It looks fine, especially from a distance. But it fails when it comes to practicality. One cannot run and jump or roll around on this lawn!  And while I may look allright to passersby, my fellowship with The Lord suffers from inactivity; and the results are the same: inactivity.

So...my prayer tonight is that I will stop leaving the pecans on the lawn...and stop leaving Jesus alone. I want to spend more thoughts considering Him, more time hearing/reading His Words, and more activities devoted to pursuing His will.  Amen.