The leaves are waiting

I’m writing this in winter, but there is very little snow on the ground.  Which means I can readily see the work I have waiting for me in the months to come.  I prefer to burn leaves, but I do try to be a good neighbor by only doing it once in the Fall and once in the Spring.  It gives me that really good rich, black soil that my garden, such as it is, truly loves. 

My husband used to be in charge of the yard clean up until I decided to start growing things.  Now he is content to clean bathrooms while I love being outside.   No complaints from me!  But there was one time, when trying to expedite a job that was fairly disagreeable to him, Bob decided, rather than rake the leaves into one big burn pile, he would instead create several small piles throughout the side and front yard, even connecting them by trails of leaves and igniting them all at once. 

Not kidding.

It’s a good thing no one called the fire department.  I ended up having my own version of mysterious “crop circles” in what remained of my grass the next day. 

The debate probably rages on concerning how or when man (or woman) first discovered fire.  I think it must have been a man, since it ultimately made more work for women in the kitchen. Nevertheless, the effects of such a primary tool continue as more than a little necessary.  One of the interesting things about fire, at least to me, is the intrinsic power that it contains, meaning whether it be used as a life-saving instrument or a terribly destructive force, it is, either way, extremely powerful. 

In my rural area, a controlled fire helps the farmers increase productivity in their fields, as well as with the prairie conversation efforts.  Uncontrolled is a problem, like when a wind catches it, or safeguards are not properly in place.  Watch out!

Which, when I think of it, is exactly what God is talking about here–

 “When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild.”

We still tend to think of our Creator as some cosmic killjoy waiting with a thunderbolt at the first sign of any fun when, in fact, the opposite is true.  But our concept of “fun” without His wisdom and guidance quickly turns into a raging conflagration with far-reaching effects to those around us.  The same concept holds firm in other areas beside our sense of entertainment: use of time, money, talent.  Then there’s how we order our relationships, define our identity, and set our own boundaries. 

All of these things have a tendency to get out of control without God’s divine guidance. 

 This year, I’m hoping for an increase in that Divine Guidance promised to me. 

 Bob? Right now, he’s busy cleaning the bathroom.

 Proverbs 29: 18    Tyndale House Publishers Inc (2008-06-01). The One Year Bible NLT (One Year Bible: Nlt Book 2)