A Layer of Mulch
Weeds abound in our yard. They snake under and through the bushes. They migrate to our potted plants. They pretend to be grass.
Our new yard guy has some big shoes to fill. The previous yard guy parked in front of the house every two weeks or so pulling a trailer full of equipment. Not only did he mow, edge, and clean up the yard, but he released me from any responsibility on my part from even thinking about the yard. He rid the yard of leaves (a monstrous job with all of our trees), spread mulch, trimmed branches, cleared out the gutters, pressure-washed the house, and re-sealed our deck.
Why would we turn aside from such a great yard guy to recruit a new one? Our new yard guy is my 15-year-old son. Our old yard guy was very reasonable but the new one throws himself on our mercy for any payment at all. It's hard to beat free labor.
I am a recovering multitasker. Wait . . . that implies I am attempting to stop altogether. Let me rephrase. I am a compartmentalized multitasker. I reject multitasking on the whole (especially when I'm eating meals with my family or listening to someone share their heart). However, I reserve the right to multitask during the mundane tasks of life, like cleaning. Listening to an audiobook or podcast is the only way to preserve my sanity during the mind-numbing tasks demanding my attention.
When it was time to outfit our new yard guy with the tools needed to perform his new job, the thought of buying six new tools for our yard (we have a rake, that's it) went against my very nature. Instead, I found two tools that did all the jobs we need -- a lawn mower/edge trimmer and a chain saw/hedge trimmer/blower connected to a telescoping arm. Now that's multitasking! Even I was impressed.
This week we have bags upon bags of mulch stacked like the pyramids of Egypt in our yard, waiting patiently to be spread around. From what I understand, the mulch blocks weeds from growing in the beds of bushes and flowers. Our new yard guy has been fighting a losing battle against the weeds invading our yard for the last month. He can continue to waste time pulling each weed or he can cover the invaders with a thick layer of mulch, smothering and driving out the weeds.
Unhealthy thought patterns invade our minds just like weeds. We can exhaust ourselves battling each thought individually or we can spread a blanket of the Word of God over our minds, starving those unhealthy thoughts.
"I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:11 (NLT)
". . . Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think . . ." Romans 12:2 (NLT)
Just as mulch prevents weeds from growing and promotes the growth of healthy plants, so layering our minds in the Word of God prevents the feeding of unhealthy thought patterns and promotes our transformation by changing the way we think.
