I’ve been in the garden this season. I’m blessed to have a variety of produce fruiting in the midst of the high desert. A challenge it has been for sure, but life supports life. The garden teaches me more about myself and life’s journey than I could imagine. Who’s growing who, I ask myself as I ponder the weeds and seeds. The bees and hornets. The scorching sun and cool breeze. I’ve been journaling my season of growth through my garden experiences. I pray these ponderings bless you.

The beautiful and sweet morning glory is getting ready to bloom as the sunrise begins to tickle its blossoms. Such a beautiful flower, ready to open up with the slightest of light’s touch. With names like sunrise serenade, heavenly blue, and morning star, who wouldn’t want these growing in their garden! And yet, they have a dark side that many gardeners know all too well. To some growers, morning glories are welcome to vine wherever they choose, and to other gardeners, they mustn’t be planted or tolerated outside their designated space.

As lovely as they are, morning glories are considered invasive and poisonous to animals and small children. They drop seeds wherever they are and sprout up everywhere. If the seed pods that resemble mini grenades are eaten in large amounts, they can cause hallucination effects like LSD to little children, which can cause young ones to trip. How many seed bombs we drop makes all the difference. Do we drop Torah bombs with great zeal on the little ones? I hear an echo- Peter (little stone) feed my sheep. ~John 21:17~ I pray we don’t get grieved by being asked to feed more cautiously, more maturely.

They will take over garden beds and cause the other florals and fruit to bow lowly as they vine up the unsuspecting plant and spread out in usurping fashion. Sending out sweet blossoms to adore, yet silently suffocating those planted closest to them. I adore the heart-shaped leaves of the glories in the morning. Yet sometimes, I have to uproot them quickly to enjoy the fruit of my labor and allow the other seeds planted to grow to maturity. I have to look past the various hues of lovely and remember that even though I love the idea of a wild garden, a food forest growing together, even in the wildest of growth, there is a natural order of things. Mourning before Morning. Do we see ourselves in the fullness of the Master of lights?

I ponder these things as I pull out the invasive blossoms from my cucumbers and sunflower patch. I look at the vines taking over my flower garden and wonder, why must you shine more brightly? Why must I? Has this mourning glory caused the morning’s glory to fade? We can be like these blossoms, they are beautiful and welcome, yet if not kept in order, they will slowly take over everything sowed. Not allowing others to grow because we must be the morning’s glory. The morning light that is too bright or unyielding can bring mourning to those still learning to establish roots and take in the Son’s rays.

Yet, on the flip side, these lovelies, when appropriately trained, can provide ground cover for cracked soil and vine-up dead trees bringing new life! They can give a sweet message with every heart-shaped leaf and open flower to the weary at heart. Life is a contranym. We learn best when we balance the light and darkness in our lives. So much this little garden of mine is teaching me. Everyone has their place in this world. Knowing who we are and our purpose makes all the difference. May we grow where we are planted and vine where we are needed. May our heart leaves mend lost souls and bring lovely shades of blossoms to the faint-eyed.