Steps to Peace

So our experimental garden is not doing so well. We managed to get a small squash out of it this week. I believe that part of the problem is the compost used as a base. Our past experience from compost out of our compost pile was that it was very fertile and anything would grow in it. However, what we purchased from a local company is not the same. We struggled to get seeds to grow and the PH is off. Despite all our efforts to raise the PH nothing has worked. I guess this is a disappointing lesson learned. Time will tell what will survive and what will just die off and not produce.

Our souls are like the soil of our lives. If the soil is good then many good things can prosper, but just as easily the weeds can also grow. In our garden certain weeds are doing quite well, but they are not the plants that produce the food that we were hoping to have. We planted the seeds we wanted to grow but they are apparently not in the right type of soil to prosper. Our words can be seeds that bring life or seeds of destruction.

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit

Proverbs 18:21 NIV

I wish I would always remember that every word I speak has the power of life or death. When I get wrapped up in my moments of frustration of things not going right I may speak words to myself and others that do not bring life to my situation. I think we all find ourselves in these circumstances and the real challenge is to not get to that point of frustration. I need to listen to the early signs that things feeling out of control and take a step or two back to gather my wits before I make things worse. God is so awesome He just gave me a list of what I can do.

• Stop, breathe, and pray at the first sign of feeling overwhelmed
• Quote some scriptures that will help me feel confident that I can finish
  • Philippians 4:13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
  • Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight
• Make a list of everything causing the feeling
• Prioritize all the items on the list for importance and relevance
• Tackle the list one item at a time and mark them off as they are completed
• Continue to add to the list as needed and mark them off as they are finished to show yourself they were accomplished

This list can be used at work or even for items that are just bothering a person. If we look at the importance of what we are thinking about and whether we can do anything about it, we can relieve ourselves of stress and pressure from the item, because some things are not even ours to have. This scripture says it all.

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Psalm 46:10 NIV

I hope that this will help you as much as it helps me. Enjoy your week and I will be back next week with more.