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Under the half-frozen soil A seed awakens And starts to push away its shell Putting forth a tiny, shivering shoot Through the dark soil it travels On its upward climb to light Until, one day The crust of springtime’s earth splits before the thrust And the green shoot rejoices As the world of light opens before it And the warm rays of yellow sunshine Welcome it and beckon to it with encouragement. Suddenly, little shoot feels the stinky impact Of a shovel full of aged manure And wonders why it tried so hard to leave its safe seed. Warm rain falls and the stench lessens As the sinking nourishment unites with the ground Feeding the baby plant, that it thrive Its roots established in softened, enriched soil Until the day when the first bloom appears. No hint of foul odor mars its perfume The dark humus a perfect backdrop For the beauty of the garden. Do you ever feel as if someone threw manure on you? After struggling through the darkness Finally, a ray of light And before you can enjoy it Buried in excrement! To have to push further up Through the unpleasantness. But the trial will settle The Water of Life will mix it with good soil To enhance growth And when your bloom hits its apex And wafts sweetened fragrance to the wind around you You will shine A glorious flower in the garden of God. Beauty comes at a price So wade in the fertilizer and don’t choke on it And don’t abandon your brothers when they’re covered in it Grow above it by the strength of Abba, through Jesus Drinking in His refreshing rains, washed by Him, together Basking in His Sonshine together Reaching up out of it together Blooming together Until faithful love’s perfume makes His garden a treat to the senses All over the earth And rises as a sweet incense offering to Heaven. In the autumn of our lives When our petals droop, wither, and die That incense will bloom above eternally Before the face of the Master Gardener. |