Pansy Patch

April 20, 2008

I have been writing a lot about my yard lately, and it truly is a beautiful surprise to watch all of the perennials come to life after the dreary winter. My only contribution to this hopeful picture has been a pansy patch behind the mailbox - annuals, not perennials.
It is a modest patch, bounded by scalloped bricks - a yellow and purple patchwork there at the corner of the drive -- determined to look bright, not shabby.
But that small patch required literally hours of work one fine Sunday. And it made me stop and think of that passage in the Bible in which Jesus compares souls to the different types of soil one can sow seed in. Rocky soil, fertile (but weedy) soil, good soil, etc.
If souls are anything like soil, God truly has His work cut out for him.
The place where I chose to plant my pansies was hard, very hard. Partly thanks to the cement in which the mailbox was sunk into the ground. But I had to have the pansies there. Some bright something was needed at that corner -- no matter how hard the ground was.
So, first I watered the area, and watered it. Of course, that meant dragging the hose all the way to the front corner of the property.
And I thought of all the trouble God goes to in order to water our souls, to make them softer and more receptive to His word. For me, that could have been all of the good experiences I had of Church and Christians in my early life. Bible school, Sunday school, kindly pastors.
After watering the area for my pansy patch, I had to go at it with a shovel and hoe because there was no way I could plant flowers where the grass was already growing. Our lives, too, can be overgrown with grass and weeds - distractions, obsessions. What-have-you. For me, the hardships of life have been like that shovel and hoe turning my weed-covered life over to reveal fresh soil and a different take on life and its meaning.
Could there really be something more important than temporal success? Early adulthood was definitely shovel and hoe time for me.
Even after I had turned the soil, it didn't look very inviting. It was rather rocky. So I spent some time clearing the patch and pitching the rocks into the ditch. Rooting out the major flaws in the garden. But even then, I worried for the flowers I would plant there. Would there be enough good soil for them to take root?
Luckily, I had bought a bag of good, rich garden soil at Lowe's. This I poured evenly into my little rectangle of a garden. Now I felt certain that the pansies would survive.
Before I could take the Christian life seriously, my soul needed a great deal of enriching. But I was truly blessed by becoming a Catholic in Memphis where there is a small but absolutely vibrant Catholic community. I learned my faith by watching and talking to lifelong and devoted Catholics and by reading books by many learned Catholics and converts to the Faith.
When the seeds of faith were finally planted, they took root. My conversion is the one decision in my life that I have not second-guessed - not even once. I am everlastingly grateful for being led to the Church. And humbled by it.
I know that each of us has a purpose, perhaps as humble as the purpose of my flower patch. To brighten a corner of the world. To be a beacon for even one person. That is enough.

Dogwoods, Lilacs and Libraries

April 10,
I keep finding new reasons to like my yard. Mind you, the yard was the attractive part of the home when we bought it. But spring is really showing it to advantage. Yesterday, I discovered we have young dogwood trees growing by the creek, and today I found two lilac bushes growing out by the deck, one white and one purple. Spring has really sprung here and it was a beautiful day for the park, where we met some new homeschool friends from the next county over.
So, we are having a nice day and I'm glad to be homeschooling, especially as I listen to some of the moms with kids in public high school talk.
Then we were off the library - one of my favorite haunts - although I don't usually like to go after school hours because it is so crazy. I loaded up on books about China as we are studying that next week and Olivia got Kit's World because she is reading all of the American Girl books about Kit and the Great Depression right now.
The library checkout is just in front of a book display - choices by the library's Teen Council. Olivia pointed to one. The title was Cut in red letters with an x slashed beneath it and you could tell from the other words on the cover that it was all about that sad psychological phenomenon of "cutting," which is kind of like self-mutilation. It is RIGHT in front of the kids DVDs, too. Not appreciating it. The other Teen picks were like the Sorcerer's Bride and Vampire Tales and other really down and dirty depressing stuff.
Yuck.
I think the next time I go to the library will be by myself and I plan to mention how little I appreciate the placement of those "edgy" books. Plus, the graffiti in the bathroom is terrible. This is one of my, "what's the world coming to?" posts. And how in the world can I make a real difference aside from affecting the lives of my own children?
I was glad to come home to my beautiful yard and quiet home where my kids love to read and play together.
But I know that people of good conscience cannot check out of society. We must stand up for what we believe in. There is a great article on lifesitenews.com about a Canadian teacher who is being suspended from his job for writing letters to the editor regarding his traditional Christian beliefs on homosexuality. How about some free speech? That right is being eroded in Canada and that certainly could happen here. It is something to take seriously.

A Beautiful Day

April 8, 2008
And finally, some sun. Spring has come to our yard with a vengeance and now I remember why I liked the house in the first place. We have goldenrod growing alongside the creek in back, lambs ear and cactus around the deck, hostas preparing to unfurl their banners and daffodils in full bloom in two different garden plots.
A lot of purple flowers (must get flora book) are growing nearby and some red berry bushes, as well.
Someone with a very green thumb (but unhandy around the house) used to live here. And it almost made me forget that we have replaced the stove, the water heater and two toilets since we moved in six months ago. Not to mention about 1/3 of the floor thanks to the plumbing flood.
Our back yard is truly a park and we could raise a decent garden here if we put our minds to it.
The day started off early and pitch dark as we all headed out to have hubby at the airport by 6 a.m., thank you. Then back to sleep for awhile. We have actually managed to do school and go to Mass today as well. And it is a perfect day for planting flowers with the Tiger Scouts, which is what we will do tonight.
Softball season has started, and Olivia really seems to be doing great. It's her second year of coach pitch and she has developed quite an arm - somehow along the winter. Her team includes girls ages5-8 as they do not have T ball for girls here - strange. She is on the Starz. I always enjoy watching her play.
I do hope the sun holds out a bit. The spring day is cheering after the truly heartbreaking defeat of the Memphis Tigers last night. I was up until midnight watching that.
Maybe next year.