We have engaged in so many big projects over the last week with the help of our kids. I am sooooo grateful for their help! They are amazing and so supportive of what we have wanted and needed to do.
Myles and his dad demolished the old, rotting camper that once held tools, but has fulfilled its usefulness. The removal of it cleaned up a pretty major portion of our driveway that can be put to better use now!
With the camper all cleaned up and hauled away, we moved on to the next project... bushes that had not only overgrown but also winter-killed along the front walk. Breanna took care of this project while I was at work. It looks amazing!!! That is more space available to us.
My main project this week has been cleaning out the cracks in my flagstone patio in the front yard. I work on it a little every day with the garden hose on a high spray stream that washes the cracks beautifully. It has improved the area exponentially! Not only are the weeds gone, but the extra dirt and debris that have blown in over time are also all washed away. Even with the grasshoppers devouring the border plants, it looks pretty good.
It feels so good to clean up those areas of old, built-up debris and clutter. That is the nature of stewardship. I try to be a good steward of my property, and of my relationships, and of my time and talents, but the juggle is constant and sometimes I simply don't get the balance right. My yard is a perfect example of this... things built up, and without immediate attention, and in some cases procrastinating the determination of what should be done with an item, those areas got away from us.
It is a principle that applies to spaces, relationships, and even the way we prioritize our time.
The camper, like complacency, helps me see the need to eliminate distractions from my life that don't serve me well. Spiritual edification is so important. It fuels not just the spirit but also the soul - mind and body together. It invites light into one's heart consistently and allows for growth and change in good ways. Most especially, for me, it allows me to feel my Heavenly Father's love and care for me. It is a major part of building that relationship. The removal of the camper is in essence for me, the equivalent of removing the distractions and other superfluous things that fill the space in my life that I need to reserve for God.
The bushes, like material things and worldly cares, can overgrow and fill up our time so thoroughly that we find ourselves completely overwhelmed. In that mindset, it is hard to see anything correctly. Relationships, jobs, health [physical, spiritual, and emotional], and overall enjoyment of life can all suffer. When I reprioritize and open up those spaces, my soul can 'breathe' again. There is a rejuvenation that comes when space is opened up, my life fills back up with joy and fulfillment and the overwhelm is curtailed.
The patio, like relationships, can become filled with unsightly things - you know - those little things that bug you but don't seem big enough to mention. However, over time, they build up. I have learned that extending grace - the permission to be less than perfect, to make mistakes, and to learn from them - is the thing that cleans up those debris-filled seams. When we offer grace, allowing for the imperfections of others around us, we are no longer judging their actions, we are supporting them through their challenges and encouraging improved behavior, but only by extending forgiveness, kindness, love, and acceptance on a daily basis can this happen... the result of the effort is an increasingly stronger, more beautiful relationship than you ever imagined. It is probably one of the greatest sources of joy - this growing WITH others into greater goodness and together stepping closer to God. Relationships - how we treat others - are the greatest source of joy we can find in mortality. A good relationship is an extension of our relationship with God, and God is the pure source of all the joy we can ever experience.
Interestingly, as I get one area all cleaned up the need to work in another space becomes more apparent. We've done a lot over a short period of time, but those things have drawn our attention to other things that need action. I think that as we draw closer to God, He helps us that way as well. He invites us to clean up one area after another in our lives, and as we open up those spaces, He reveals more, teaching us along the way, giving us wisdom and experience and best of all companions walking the road to joy along with us. I am so grateful for the joy that He blesses me with in every effort I make to improve. Jesus Christ is my joy.
