Porch Tending

Sweet Readers, 

I’ve been thinking about you all day…wishing you were here. My wishing started when I went out to sweep the front porch, certainly not my favorite chore due to my allergies. The day was beautiful and bright so I decided to sit-a-spell as they say here in the mountains, and enjoy summer’s invitation to her beautiful season.

 
The men in the field across from my house were readying the pasture for the soon-coming cattle. First the fence posts were repaired. Last summer I had cows visit my yard often, their beautiful brown eyes staring into mine, asking for a respite from the sun under the branch canopy of our huge maple tree.

The broom was ignored.

The men slowly covered every foot of the pasture, looking for harmful weeds that make cattle ill. I fixed a picture of tea, sweet of course, and made my way to the pasture gate. Gratefulness for the tea, garnished with mint sprigs, was evident. The mint, planted by my mother-in-law, is lovely to crush with your fingertips bringing out the full fragrance of the oil.

The broom still sat idle against a Victorian post.

Another chore was to deadhead the porch’s hanging baskets. Pleased by my workmanship I decided to tackle yet another porch-project. Slipping the rocking chair’s pillow covers off, I stopped to admire the old-fashioned cherry print on two of the rockers. I hung the covers on the clothesline to freshen under the sun.

I did catch a quick glimpse of the broom, out of the corner of my eye, but avoided a full face-on confrontation. 

Windowsills were cleaned of cobwebs and I rescued a wind chime from a prison of winter-wind tangles.

The broom seemed to hold itself higher and with more importance… the time to sweep had come. I decided to add a little dance step here and there as I swept. Amazingly it lightened the chore I had dreaded, turning it into joy.

I sat down in the swing and surveyed my handiwork. I thought as how those men repaired the fence, we, as Christians, sometimes need “friendship” repairs…gonna think more about that. My mind then went to the fact that we need to keep an eye out for souls needing refreshment.

As harmful weeds grow in the pasture so do weeds of envy, discouragement, and unworthiness grow in our souls. I’m thinking a heart and soul walk-thru could be needed often. Don’t be surprised if the sweet fragrance of Christ springs forth when the hurtful weeds are pulled and discarded.

Painful though can be, pruning and deadheading is needed to make way for healthy lives. Like the slipcovers, we need to be shone-upon by the Son to refresh our spirits.

Cobwebs and tangles of the mind need frequent checks.

1^st Peter 2: 1-3 (MSG) So clean house! Make a clean sweep of malice, pretense, envy and hurtful talk.

It was lovely having you visit the hollow today…remember to come go home with me to lazy summer days, firefly nights, cold, sweet-watermelon- eating-weekends and hand-held-fan-waving Sunday services.

Love you bunches,

Dee Dee