Five Minute Friday - Garden

Once a week, I participate in a flash mob of writers, called Five Minute Friday.  We write for 5 minutes on a given prompt, no editing, no backtracking, no overthinking and link up here.  Then, no ifs ands or buts, we visit those who linked up before us and share some love.  That is the rule, and the heart of the this community.

This week's word was Garden - and the words just poured out.

Go.


What immediately comes to mind are tomatoes.  Tomatoes that must be staked and carefully tended in order to produce fruit.  And how I love to keep my children close to me, so that they grow up straight and tall, producing fruit with their lives.

And how God wants us to stay close to Him.  Staked to Him.  Bound to Him by His promises.  So that we, too, grow up straight and strong.  And that they may know us by our fruit.

Why?  Why do I keep my children close to me?  Because I love them, with all my heart.  And by keeping them near me, they can learn from me.  Good.  And bad, GULP. 

Why does God desire us to be close to Him?  Because He loves us.  He loves us more than we could ever imagine.  How do I get closer to Him, though?  That’s been my struggle for years.  This year, though, it came to me.  Through my OneWord365.  Quiet.

Quiet time in His presence. Daily interactions, reading His word.  Prayer.  That’s a huge one for me.  I’m still learning “how” to pray.  But, mostly, I’m being quiet.  Listening for that still quiet voice that loves ME.


Stop.