Summer is definitely here.  How can I tell?  Easy.  First I am watching many of my neighbors busily working with their “Yard and Garage Cleaning”…  and we’ve too been busily keeping up with the yard as the weather invites new growth.  Second, my sinuses and allergies that with so many floras blooming and blossoming, are challenged.  And third, the weeds that profusely grow in my yard after the early summer rains here in lower Alabama compete with the grass.

This morning I was determined to tackle some of the weeds.  I had to get to the root of the problem.  Most came up easily, but then I came to a good sized one.  I tugged this way and that, and the root was tenacious.  I stopped to rest for a moment.  A thought came to mind about a story I once read in a column.

As I recall the story, a man was taking a walk through a forest with his granddaughter by his side.  The man stopped, and pointed out four plants.  The first was a tiny sprout.  The second had rooted quite firmly.  The third was small shrub.  The fourth, grown into a well-developed small tree.

The elderly man said to his grandchild, “Pull up that first plant.”  The young girl pulled it up easily with her fingers.  “Now pull the second”, said the grandfather.  With slight effort, that plant also came up.  “And now the third”, the young girl pulled with one hand, then with the other but to no avail.  Then after using two hands and grunting, the plant finally gave yield and came out.  “And now,” said the elderly man, “Try the fourth.”  The youth pulled at the trunk of the sapling with all she could muster, but hardly a small leaf shook.  “It won’t budge!” she exclaimed, frustrated.

“Just so my granddaughter,” spoke the wise old man.  “With our habits.  When they are young, and small, we can rid them out, but when full grown they are hardened and many times cannot be uprooted.”

Can we learn from this story?  The way we allow ourselves to think is important.  It is all too easy, if not on our Christian guard, to form habits of thinking negatively, on things of little or no worth, letting our thoughts wander aimlessly.  We can even forget our incredible calling!

When we constantly entertain a certain thought, which often leads to an act, and once the act is repeated again and again, it becomes deeply rooted inside of us, and becomes part of our character.  And, if that habit is a sin, notice where it leads.  (James 1:14-15)

The Harvest Festival or Pentecost season is here, a benchmark of God’s Holy Days plan.  God’s Holy Spirit gave dynamic power and encouragement to change and strength to overcome this flesh.  Now is a good time to address ourselves to our bad habits and root them out before they become so large we can’t move them.

I am also reminded of Philippians 4:8.  Think on honest, just, pure things, so that when our thoughts and outlook develop into habits and become part of our character, they will produce a happy, abundant, joyous eternal life!

…as I close this letter, as I do every Friday evening…  as we enter His Sabbath…  reflect on this with me, will you?

And again, may God continue to richly bless you.  Our prayers and thoughts are with you daily!  Please do pray for us as well.