Bless This Mess

The question is not what you look at but what you see.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

If there ever was a hot mess, my 2020 garden would be it. Despite my best intentions, the tomatoes were never staked, the peppers kept getting pulled up by my 3 year old garden companion, and the daisies sort of migrated into the tomatoes.

Case in point:

In the evenings when I would water, I would think to myself, “These tomatoes are taking over, I’ve got to stake them up.” And then it would be 7:15p and the kids had to get in the bath and to bed and well, that was that.

I would scold myself and say, “Alicia! You’re not allowed to buy one more plant until you can take care of the ones you have!”.

I would dip my head in embarrassment when my mother in law visited and saw that those weeds seem to have found a permanent home back by the fruit trees (not that she ever said anything, bless her!).

And yet…

-We harvested bowls, and dump trucks, and Radio Flyer wagonfuls of cherry tomatoes.

-3 year old Emmett morphed into Peter Piper, picking pecks of peppers all summer. This plant that was completely unrooted multiple times somehow miraculously not only survived but gifted us with shiny green pepper after pepper.

-Deadheading daisies reminded us that pruning the old makes room for the new.

-Even the weeds were redeemed as we enjoyed watching rabbits, squirrels and birds drop by to see what was worth eating.

Turns out, our 2020 garden was actually a thing a beauty. It’s all in how you looked at it.

What else could I look at with these new eyes?

• Frustration over a messy fridge was transformed into gratitude for a full fridge.
• Embracing the mess and vulnerability of hospitality for the reward of deeper relationship and community.
• Replacing shame with grace for myself and my kids in meltdown moments of low blood sugar, late nights, hormones, daylight savings, and changing routines.
• In a murky season of faith, seeing the goodness of God cover the fear of grappling with tough questions.
• Choosing to see the inevitable mess of legos, paint projects, cookie baking, and strange science experiments as fertile ground for the seeds of creativity, learning and exploration.

The beautiful mess of the garden reminds me that perfection is not the goal. Not only is it an unattainable goal, it is an unworthy goal. There is rich beauty in the mess of our everyday lives if we have eyes to see it.

Sending love to you today friends,

Alicia