Take it to the compost pile!

I wanted to take my gardening prowess, which isn’t very high to begin with, to the next level: I wanted a compost pile. I was, however, concerned about attracting rodents.  (UGH!)  A friend of mine alleviated this by convincing me to recycle only plant products, i.e., just flora, no fauna.  So scraps from smoothie makings, salad fixin’s, and the corn cobs of summer were diligently tossed into a special homemade “bin” made of old wooden pallets situated in the side yard.  Okay, they do tend to attract flies, but one day I noticed that a nice big spider had set up housekeeping right over the very spot—if any spiders have brains, this was one of them!

Then there’s the odor.  Ever caught a whiff of a compost pile?  You shouldn’t really be able to, at least not if it’s properly taken care of. Not that I would want mine in my kitchen or anything. (I have a big dog—that’s enough smell for one household!)  Evidently, a knowledgeable gardener will turn the compost frequently. This recurring agitation prevents the “bad” bacteria from building up (the main cause of the offensive smell).  This also allows the much needed oxygen to permeate throughout the decomposing organic matter so that the “scraps” can become useful soil again.  Soooo….off I go to one of the local Farm & Home stores to purchase a real, old-fashioned pitch fork.  Yes, I did!  I look like something out of Wood’s “American Gothic”.  And, I want you to know, them tongs are dangerous! (But highly effective.)

You probably know where I’m going with this… 

We all have scraps in our lives: mistakes, regrets, relationships, past experiences that may or may not be of our own making. OR…we have dreams, talents, ideas that have been criticized or ridiculed one too many times, and we’ve given up.  When we try to bury these things, rather than allowing God’s truth to penetrate throughout, they become pretty ripe and offensive. 

And they attract more than flies…

Has God been agitating your personal compost pile of emotional, mental, spiritual, or relational leftovers?  If He is, I doubt that you need me or anyone else to describe it to you.  For “some reason”, these stupid things keep coming up, and at the most inopportune times. 

Maybe it’s because it needs air.  Give it God’s air, as only He knows how to recycle our junk to use it properly for real growth.  In practical terms, this may mean counseling, or simply revealing it to a trusted comrade for accountability.  It may mean forgiveness to the one(s) who have done the harm.  Or maybe an apology on my part (oh, how the pitchfork prongs hurt on THAT one.)  Whatever it takes, it’s better than dumping more dirt on top trying to cover the smell.

Here’s what God promises:

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.”

Because He is the best gardener, hands down

 

2 Corinthians 2:14  New American Standard Bible (NASB)

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