Diligence

Today I was working in my garden, pulling out some weeds and turning the soil around my tulips.

I looked over at my neighbor's front garden. Its a mess. They haven't touched it in years. Literally. I thought to myself "I wonder if they think I'm crazy for doing this...they obviously don't care about their garden...it's not important to them. I wonder if they ever wonder why I put so much care into mine?"

I thought about that for a while, and started to ask myself just why it is important to me. And one thought kept coming back: In my life...it's about diligence.

See...for me...my garden, my home, my body, my marriage, my friendships, my walk with God...they are all the same thing. All interconnected. I'm an all or nothing kinda girl. I don't know how to give myself to one thing, and not another. For me, every time I stop for a moment to pull a weed out of my garden when I walk by...it's kinda a declaration. "Hello garden...I see you there. And while it would be easier to walk by and ignore you, I'm going to give you the attention you deserve. Diligently."

When I give myself in diligence to keeping a clean home, I also give myself in diligence to keeping my body healthy. That's just the way I am. If I get sloppy with one, I get sloppy with the other. For me, it's important...just taking a moment to tidy up here and there instead of walking by and ignoring it. If I'm ignoring that mess, I'm more prone to ignore the other areas in need of 'attention' in my life.

It takes a great deal of effort...but isn't my family worth it? Caring for my home, my garden, my health, my marriage....stopping to talk to Jason when I pass by his office. Kissing him on the cheek repeatedly, just for no reason. Listening to him talk about yearbook stuff, and putting time aside to have real conversations....each time we talk, it's pulling out a little weed. Tidying up our garden, putting that toy in its place. Diligence "Hello husband....I see you there. And while it would be easier to walk by and ignore you, I'm going to give you the attention you deserve. Diligently."

Now that the snow is gone, I'm back into my exercise routines. Everyday, I am trying to do two 30-minute workouts. (weather permitting) A walk in the morning, and a bike ride in the evening. Or 2 walks, or a run and a walk. I'm eating healthy....piles of vegetables, no junk food, no cheating, no eating out. And you know...it's easy! Each day I take a walk, and each day I pull a weed, and each day I tidy up, and each day I cuddle my husband. And what should feel like alot of work, just feels like joy. I'm so thankful for what God has given me, and it's mine to tend. He's only asked me to do it with all my heart.