Good Morning Ya'll! We hope you have had a fabulous week and if it was Not so great, and even a bit burdensome, I pray the Lord will cover you with his love and peace in the days ahead.
I was trying to come up with an idea to write about this week, but I was drawing a blank. We are still waiting on our rain barrels, and I truly wanted to post on those and write a review. Since they are delayed in the shipping process, I thought I would do a little creative writing.
An inspiration began to emerge, and in the past, creative writing was my passion. Today it wanted to come out an play so I am going to go with it.
Lately, I have been doing research on soil and its covering. In permaculture, covering the ground is very important. All we have to do is look to nature to know this. When the ground is not covered, you may find a dry and thirsty soil.
Once covered, the ground is fed nutrients. The nutrients are slowly released into the ground, thus creating a magnificent soil that can be used for planting.
This is a short story about one piece of ground that longed for a continued covering. In the process, an old Army veteran rediscovered his spiritual covering in a most miraculous way.
The Covering
Joseph was in his sixties, and an Army veteran. His beard was now covered in gray, and his hair past his shoulders.
At one time he would have never let his hair grow this long. His past military service taught him to be clean shaven and hair cut high and tight. These days his appearance was not his concern.
Burying his mom was the hardest thing he has ever had to do, besides his tours overseas in wartime. He thought she would live forever and he would leave this earth way before her. This was not the visit he had envisioned.
Since he inherited his folks place, most mornings, it was hard to get out of bed. He would think about his life and how it all seem to go to hell in a hand basket. While this downward spiral took many years in the making, it appeared to happen over night.
The house was definitely a fixer upper and sat on a couple of acres of ground. Joseph had no dreams of doing anything with it except to do some minor repairs and get it on the market as quickly as possible. He would then head back to his small apartment in the city. For some reason, days turned into weeks and weeks into months. Four months later, he was still hanging out at his parents old house.
Depression is a strange thing. It says you don't need anyone, nor want anyone around. Most days you can't muster the energy to get out of bed. However, our hearts whisper, "You need someone and it is not good to be alone." Sadly, the cycle goes on and nothing changes. One just gets stuck.
Joseph woke up disturbed after having the strangest dream. He felt as if it meant something, but was not sure what. It was not like the many nightmares he would have that would wake him up with night sweats. It felt as if God himself had spoken to him. He remembered the profound words that played on his mind.
"Get up Joseph! I have covered you like your Mother's garden."
Joseph was not a church goer, and he would NOT consider himself a spiritual man. If not for his mother's faith, he probably would not have any to speak of. He considered himself a believer, but one that would ride on his mother's "faith apron" most of his life.
He was disillusioned with the trials of life that had pressed him on every side. He felt God had abandoned him. Perhaps it was his younger wild days. He had given his parents a run for their money back then. Maybe the lack of faith happened when he encountered so many deaths on the battle field. Joseph would find himself talking to God at times, but his prayers were more like a rant about the pittfalls of life he had encountered. When it came down to it...Joseph felt he was not good enough.
"I have covered you like your Mother's garden," Joseph repeated to himself.
What in the world did this mean? He thought to himself.
Joseph poured himself a cup of coffee and walked out side to the backyard. He truly had not been able to make his way to the garden since he came to his parents house. He feared his emotions would get the best of him.
His mother had always been an avid gardener, but with her illness, the garden now looked like an overgrown jungle.
His father had passed years prior, leaving his mom to attempt to keep up the house and small acreage. Joseph began to feel a bit guilty. The military had kept him away for 20 plus years, and his visits were few and far between. Now retired, a widow, and children across the US, he felt very alone.
Joseph remembered his mothers words when he was a young man.
"Keep prayed up son, the Lord has got you covered".
She would then repeat a verse he had not thought of for many years.
"For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield." Psalm 5:12
Joesph remembered how quickly he would dismiss his mother's words. He could see his mom patting his hand ever so gently as she whispered those words to him. She would then hug him goodbye as he left once more for his next duty station
Joseph kicked the dirt with his old boot and looked across the ground. He remembered the beauty it once had. Weeds had now made their way in many places.
As run down as the garden appeared, Joseph noticed something rather interesting.
Across the garden was a covering of old leaves, tree limbs, and composted hay that his mother had used to cover the ground for her vegetables.
He bent down and moved the covering that lay over the soil. Underneath to his surprise was the most magnificent rich soil.
How could this be he thought?
Mom had been gone for awhile now. No one had watered or cared for this garden in over a year. While the weeds were certainly grown up in some areas, he could see some strawberries growing in the corner of the yard.
Never feeling like much of a spiritual man, he felt at that moment the Lord was speaking to him. The top of the soil did not look like much. It was mostly composted material from nature. The natural covering protected the ground so that it could produce a beautiful abundance of plants.
Perhaps...through the years, the Lord had indeed covered Joseph as well. The death of his beloved wife was horrific, but in his mourning, he had at one time felt the Lord close to him. Even in his adolescent years of turning from God, the Father always found him and turned him around. By Gods Grace the Lord brought him back from Afghanistan. Why him? Why not others? Emotional wounds set in and have stayed with Joseph for many years. He often felt much guilt about that. He remembered the feeling of the Lord wrapping his arms around him ever so close as his tears seemed to fall endlessly. How could he face his best friends family after losing Ben to war? Yet somehow...he faced the difficult tasks and made it through.
Perhaps this was the covering his mother spoke of.
Joseph began to pray...This time it would not be a rant but a simple, and heart felt conversation with the Father.
"It's me, Joseph. Lord...it's been along time. Please give mom and dad my love sir, if you don't mind. I see now how you covered mom's garden. I think I understand now.
As you covered the soil, it protected the ground in order to be used for a greater purpose. Perhaps the way you have always covered me in my own life, I too can be used for a greater purpose."
Joseph looked over the garden and for the first time he saw it with his Mother's eyes.
"I have covered you like your Mother's garden."
At one time he would have never let his hair grow this long. His past military service taught him to be clean shaven and hair cut high and tight. These days his appearance was not his concern.
Burying his mom was the hardest thing he has ever had to do, besides his tours overseas in wartime. He thought she would live forever and he would leave this earth way before her. This was not the visit he had envisioned.
Since he inherited his folks place, most mornings, it was hard to get out of bed. He would think about his life and how it all seem to go to hell in a hand basket. While this downward spiral took many years in the making, it appeared to happen over night.
The house was definitely a fixer upper and sat on a couple of acres of ground. Joseph had no dreams of doing anything with it except to do some minor repairs and get it on the market as quickly as possible. He would then head back to his small apartment in the city. For some reason, days turned into weeks and weeks into months. Four months later, he was still hanging out at his parents old house.
Depression is a strange thing. It says you don't need anyone, nor want anyone around. Most days you can't muster the energy to get out of bed. However, our hearts whisper, "You need someone and it is not good to be alone." Sadly, the cycle goes on and nothing changes. One just gets stuck.
Joseph woke up disturbed after having the strangest dream. He felt as if it meant something, but was not sure what. It was not like the many nightmares he would have that would wake him up with night sweats. It felt as if God himself had spoken to him. He remembered the profound words that played on his mind.
"Get up Joseph! I have covered you like your Mother's garden."
Joseph was not a church goer, and he would NOT consider himself a spiritual man. If not for his mother's faith, he probably would not have any to speak of. He considered himself a believer, but one that would ride on his mother's "faith apron" most of his life.
He was disillusioned with the trials of life that had pressed him on every side. He felt God had abandoned him. Perhaps it was his younger wild days. He had given his parents a run for their money back then. Maybe the lack of faith happened when he encountered so many deaths on the battle field. Joseph would find himself talking to God at times, but his prayers were more like a rant about the pittfalls of life he had encountered. When it came down to it...Joseph felt he was not good enough.
"I have covered you like your Mother's garden," Joseph repeated to himself.
What in the world did this mean? He thought to himself.
Joseph poured himself a cup of coffee and walked out side to the backyard. He truly had not been able to make his way to the garden since he came to his parents house. He feared his emotions would get the best of him.
His mother had always been an avid gardener, but with her illness, the garden now looked like an overgrown jungle.
His father had passed years prior, leaving his mom to attempt to keep up the house and small acreage. Joseph began to feel a bit guilty. The military had kept him away for 20 plus years, and his visits were few and far between. Now retired, a widow, and children across the US, he felt very alone.
Joseph remembered his mothers words when he was a young man.
"Keep prayed up son, the Lord has got you covered".
She would then repeat a verse he had not thought of for many years.
"For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield." Psalm 5:12
Joesph remembered how quickly he would dismiss his mother's words. He could see his mom patting his hand ever so gently as she whispered those words to him. She would then hug him goodbye as he left once more for his next duty station
Joseph kicked the dirt with his old boot and looked across the ground. He remembered the beauty it once had. Weeds had now made their way in many places.
As run down as the garden appeared, Joseph noticed something rather interesting.
Across the garden was a covering of old leaves, tree limbs, and composted hay that his mother had used to cover the ground for her vegetables.
He bent down and moved the covering that lay over the soil. Underneath to his surprise was the most magnificent rich soil.
How could this be he thought?
Mom had been gone for awhile now. No one had watered or cared for this garden in over a year. While the weeds were certainly grown up in some areas, he could see some strawberries growing in the corner of the yard.
Never feeling like much of a spiritual man, he felt at that moment the Lord was speaking to him. The top of the soil did not look like much. It was mostly composted material from nature. The natural covering protected the ground so that it could produce a beautiful abundance of plants.
Perhaps...through the years, the Lord had indeed covered Joseph as well. The death of his beloved wife was horrific, but in his mourning, he had at one time felt the Lord close to him. Even in his adolescent years of turning from God, the Father always found him and turned him around. By Gods Grace the Lord brought him back from Afghanistan. Why him? Why not others? Emotional wounds set in and have stayed with Joseph for many years. He often felt much guilt about that. He remembered the feeling of the Lord wrapping his arms around him ever so close as his tears seemed to fall endlessly. How could he face his best friends family after losing Ben to war? Yet somehow...he faced the difficult tasks and made it through.
Perhaps this was the covering his mother spoke of.
Joseph began to pray...This time it would not be a rant but a simple, and heart felt conversation with the Father.
"It's me, Joseph. Lord...it's been along time. Please give mom and dad my love sir, if you don't mind. I see now how you covered mom's garden. I think I understand now.
As you covered the soil, it protected the ground in order to be used for a greater purpose. Perhaps the way you have always covered me in my own life, I too can be used for a greater purpose."
Joseph looked over the garden and for the first time he saw it with his Mother's eyes.
"I have covered you like your Mother's garden."
Remember you are enough!
God has you covered just like he covers His beautiful earth with a natural cover.
As time passes...the composted material feeds the ground with important nutrients and reshapes the inner core of the soil. Such is our lives.
Thank you Lord for your covering.
God bless you...until we meet again.
Kimmie
God has you covered just like he covers His beautiful earth with a natural cover.
As time passes...the composted material feeds the ground with important nutrients and reshapes the inner core of the soil. Such is our lives.
Thank you Lord for your covering.
God bless you...until we meet again.
Kimmie
RSS Feed
