Chapter 1
LIFE IS A GARDEN
“James Allen once said, “A man sooner or later discovers
that he is the master gardener of his soul…of his life.” The ruler of
desolation doesn’t need to own our garden. He has no rights there. We are the
gardener, the caretaker, whose mastery, by God’s grace, will protect the beauty
that has been allotted us.”
Chapter 2
ONCE UPON A TIME
“And, while it may sound a bit abrasive, “once upon a time”
will sometimes be just that, a fairy tale, a set of unrealized dreams.
Regrettably life isn’t the waving of magical wands, the “Bibadee Bobadee Boos”
created in Walt Disney’s Cinderella. Instead, life will be just plain old life,
with obstacles, challenges, heartache, and pain. The Bible says that joy and
sorrow are inseparable; and believe me, they are joined tighter than any set of
conjoined twins…”
Chapter 3
WHACKED BY A WEED EATER!
“Hedges
oftentimes act as protective barriers for gardens, marking a boundary or
territory. Their design may be one of encirclement or a ring to offer privacy
from what lurks just outside our garden. This line of defense helps acts as a
buffer to keep harm from touching us. Removing a hedge exposes us, making our
soul vulnerable to what may be targeting us.”
Chapter 4
OPEN TO INVASION
“Without fencing to act as a buffer, we are prey to every
despicable varmint. And sometimes fencing won’t even keep the critters out, as
harmful creatures try to sneak their way inside our territory. It is up to us
to identify everything that enters our garden to defile our spiritual being,
and then we must address it.”
Chapter 5
OUCH! TOO MANY OWWEES!
“Working in a garden can be a painful experience. If the achy
back, sunburned face and arms, and bruised knees don’t get to you, the prickly
thorns hiding on a plant and/or bush’s stems will. Have you ever noticed how
easy it is to get a thorn puncture while diligently working at maintaining our
space? It is our “thorn in the flesh” experience.”
Chapter 6
ELIMINATE UNWANTED GROWTH
“Being a victim is not pleasurable. It can be painful and
shakes our confidence in ourselves, others, and even God. If we find ourselves
in such situations, we have a choice as what response to make. Choice is a gift
given to us to ultimately triumph over our previous circumstances and live our
lives in victory.”
Chapter 7
PREPARING OUR SOIL…ERR…SOUL
“When I speak of prayer, or even think of prayer, I know that
I am the chiefest of offenders. Nevertheless, my desire is to search my “soul,”
then toil my “soil” so that I will be worthy to secure “holes in my soles and
scuff marks on my toes.” Isn’t that how it should be?”
Chapter 8
BUDS OF FAITH
“Our
life’s garden was intended to be filled with faith in a wonderland of colors
bursting with vibrant blooms. A faith that comes from a small seed placed in
the soil, given water as nourishment, and sunlight to grow. Faith can produce
beauty from the tiniest of seed, one the size of a mustard seed.”
Chapter 9
BITTER FRUIT OR GOLDEN APPLES
“Comforting words! How
important are they are? I am sure we all want to hear words that bring solace
to the soul. Needless to say, whether for the good or the bad, words are one of
life’s constants...”
Chapter 10
WEEDS OF DECEPTION
“…weeds of deceit come to overwhelm all - no one is immune.
None of us! It is what we do when first seeing an unusual seedling that
matters. Do we uproot it immediately or leave it alone planning to pull it on
another day? Or do we see beauty in its form, and wait in awe for it to color?”
Chapter 11
A HIDING PLACE
“There
is a saying: “Silence is golden.” What a multitude of messages are in those
three words. There is a silence so golden that it can penetrate our inner soul
and bring guidance. It is in the solitude of our mind that we find refuge and
protection from hurtful words and actions.”
Chapter 12
THE GARDENING SHED
“The originality of the shed has quite a history. Prehistoric
people were the first to find the need for sheds. Their sheds were built from
whatever the local geography, its climate, and materials would allow. These
early storerooms speak volumes about a civilization...I can’t help but compare
them in part, to the early church structure and its sheds. The early church
speaks volumes about the ones who prepared our spiritual structure...”
Chapter 13
UPS, DOWNS & CROSSINGS
“I
often wonder how life knows when to bring the sun’s warmth or rain’s sprinkles
atop my valley? But Life knows. And how does life know when to bring a mighty
storm, a turbulence longing to topple my very existence? Life knows.” – Poem by K.J.
Hopper
Chapter 14
A RAKING, LAYER BY LAYER
“Affliction
can seem a monster bigger than life itself. Its ugliness hammers our being,
weakening us in an attempt to destroy our soul. Every part of our being that
can be shaken will be shaken.”
Chapter 15
COMES THE SEASONS
“Many seasons will come into our lives but not identified as
winter, spring, summer or fall. Rather, they will be spiritual seasons, ranging
from mild and enjoyable to harsh, or even cruel. Many will bud with joy,
profusely blooming with vibrant colors, proclaiming happiness lives here.
Others will bring about twisty angling shoots displaying withered flowers
suspended in an unrecognizable fashion, representing pain and anguish…”
Chapter 16
MAINTENANCE PRESERVATION
“Have
you had occasion where frustration built on the inside until from deep within
you wanted to scream, "STOP, can't you feel my heartache, my pain? Don't
you care?"
Chapter 17
WINGS OF RESTORATION
“Positives
are a vital part of our garden and its appearance. What is good and pure lend
to its beauty, and positives happen mostly because of “angels.” I love my
angels! My angels bring positive proclamations that allow me dignity. I find
comfort in them.”
Chapter 18
MIRACLES IN BLOOM
“We
need to always cherish any miracle the Lord extends, no matter what it is or
how it affects our life. Miracles are God’s gifts because He cares. We must
never allow self to depreciate a miracle received or allow others to cause us
to question our miracle because it isn't according to their expectations.”
Chapter
19
ARRAYED
WITH BEAUTY
“In
our garden, beauty should be the most prominent feature. Beauty answers an ache
in the soul. We cannot live without it. When we focus on life's beauty, all the
ugliness of life fades away. Beauty is definitely the gift of God…”
