11 Bags Full
The weather finally cooled off enough to mow the lawn. (high 70s). Unfortunately, the grass had grown long enough that I had to use the grass catcher. I prefer to let the mower mulch the grass and add it back into the ecosystem, but when it gets too long, that doesn’t work. We don’t have a very big lawn, but I dumped 11 bags of grass clippings in the back of the church parking lot (creating a nice mulch line under some trees there).
The labyrinth was also due for trimming. I love walking on the grass in between the pavers that form the “walls” of the path (the photo in the masthead really is me walking my labyrinth). But once a month the grass will overgrow the pavers and it looks shaggy. Well, since the lawn was even longer today, there were some pavers that were completely hidden.
It felt really good to start with something hidden and chaotic and unkempt and see it revealed before my eyes. There is not a lot of things in ministry where one can see immediate results of one’s actions, so I really enjoy those things that I can see results right away. I felt that same way when Anna and I were painting the canvas labyrinth. I feel that some way when I get into a programming project, or a photoshop project. There is a sense of well-being to see the order and beauty come out when something works (or doesn’t work in the case of programming 
.
Yet, I have to remember that most of the time, the really important things are the long-term processes that will not produce results immediately or even visibly. It takes faith to do something knowing that you will not see the effects. There are days when that is harder to do. To just do the important thing without seeing where it fits into the grand scheme of things. However, that is what we are each called to do as believers: trust and love.
I’m glad that God does give us something to do from time to time when we can see the results. I have a feeling that my lawn will again give me that opportunity in about 5-7 days.
