This past fall some neighbors moved out and left some potted plants at an auction sale. Staying to true Haynes form, I waited until the last day of the auction to approach and ask if I could just take the potted plants that had $12 price tags on them...the auctioneer said she'd give them to me for $1. SCORE~ I proudly got my wagon walked two doors down and loaded up my new plants to decorate my front porch and screen porch. My dollar provided me with a new pot and plant for the front porch and a huge tree for the screen porch. I never realized how bare my screen porch was until this plant made its home in the corner.
I repotted this patio tree so it could have more room to spread its roots and grow. Over the course of the fall I enjoyed sipping my coffee and reminding myself that this beauty only cost me .50 cents!
The temperatures outside dropped and I wanted to be sure that I didn't lose this tree. SO Chris helped me bring it into our bedroom so we could keep it warm and protect it from the harsh weather and freezing temps that the winter brings.
The tree looked MUCH bigger in my room then it did in the corner of the porch but - its just for a season- and the Christmas stuff is already making the house look cluttered so may as well just embrace the clutter this not so little tree brings.
I was remembering to water it and care for it and then one day I realized something about this tree.
When we first brought the tree inside it was fine, no big deal, just a little less floor to vacuum.
But one morning we woke up to find like 1,000 dead gnats on our window seals and bathroom vanities. Seriously, 1,000. From a distance it looked like my 4 year old had used the pepper shaker to create a new piece of art work.
WHERE DID THEY COME FROM?? We never saw them fly around durning the day? I looked at the tree, didn't see ANY gnats at all.
We sanitized and vacuumed, made sure all of the windows were closed properly, checked under the bed to be sure that one of the boys hadn't left a banana peel or apple core to rot. (this has happened in the van before) I did what I always do when I want to have information...I googled causes which led me to the conclusion that we had drain fungus.
I made a trip to the store loaded up on vinegar and baking soda to make a volcano of the drain to get rid of the fungus. I was so proud of my work. Went to sleep only to wake up to more dead gnats.
I decided this was some serious fungus so I treated again....this went on for about a week, I daily vacuumed, dusted, treated the drains- even the shower drain---Pretty sure we had the cleanest drains but were still infested with gnats.
I googled some more and discovered that plants can develop root rot and produce soil gnats, also referred to as fungus gnats. Probably the most common -and definitely the most annoying houseplant pests. These pest larvae thrive in moist soil and cannot survive in dry soil.
We quickly took that little .50 tree back outside to the porch and right away our little infestation was G-O-N-E.
What happened?
When we moved the tree and changed its environment it got too much water, and not enough light.
I thought I was taking care of it because I was actually remembering to water it vs when it was on the porch and only got watered like 2 times a month.
I was offering what I thought it needed. I was over feeding and not allowing it to digest the food I provided it with.
This got me thinking about my time with God.
I read and read and read. I read the Bible, I read devotional books, parenting books, scriptures of the day...but I often don't stop to reflect, let the word soak into the roots of my heart and character changing me and growing me. Instead, of filling my heart with nourishing life changing moments with God I flood my mind with information and have religion vs relationship. The religion can produce feelings of deadness, emptiness, loneliness. When I'm trying to control my life is no longer rooted, floods rise and rot grows.
Water from the Lord is sweet, nourishing, satisfying, right on time, just what I need, cleansing, renewing, and refreshing. He leads me by quiet still waters and restores my soul. (Psalm 23)
Me on my own, I produce something that isn't natural. Trying to create spiritual growth is exhausting and won't work. 1 Peter 2:9 "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." - My identity is in Christ. He has chosen me, set me apart, I am His, I proclaim the excellencies if HIM.
I need to Stop Striving and Start Thriving.
To Thrive is to develop well, to prosper, flourish, bloom or advance.
To Flood is to overfl beyond its normal confines especially to a normally dry land.
My walk with the Lord is a continual process of watering from the Lord, a planned focus on Him alone so I can produce fruit that is from Him. Psalm 92:13 They are planted in the house of the Lord; they flourish in the courts of our God.
Soil gnats don't kill they plant! A plant that has been flooded and has begun to develop root rot and fungus which breeds the pesky gnats can be healed. The only way is to let the roots dry out completely so the gnats can no longer feed on the swampy soil.
What areas of my life are "swampy". Places full of false teaching, negative self talk, wrong identity- places that its impossible for Gods roots to take hold?
Isaiah 58:11- The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well watered garden, like an ever flowing spring.
I want God to produce fruit that is nourishing to someones soul. I want to be like a tree that provides encouraging shade and an accepts people where they are. I need roots that are watered by Gods living water that never runs dry vs the words of others that only flood my mind with an overflow of information. I need daily amounts of food from Him.
Who knew that .50cents on a patio tree could remind me of so many truths?
My patio tree wasn't producing fruit it was created to produce. Instead it was producing gnats- pesky tiny bus that snuck up on me because of poor nourishment. I was searching for other answers not really wanting to get to the literal root of the problem...maybe my tree will end up dying because of the harsh cold temperatures, or maybe the winter months will cause it to suffer for a bit- but I cannot live with gnats and I know eventually spring will bring warmer temperatures that my tree thrives in.
This makes me want to stop trying to over water my life and my children's spiritual lives- quit trying to do Gods work- TRUST Him...if I'm in control all that I will accomplish in my over watering is rotten roots and gnats. I pray that DAILY I will walk by the spirit, be led by Him and fed by Him alone so He can produce fruit from the Spirit. My kids will see me fail and get back up and hopefully they will see some fruit from the Spirit. I am a work in progress.
Galatians 5: 16-26
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever[c] you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited,provoking and envying each other.
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