Mint Roots

I thought our flower beds had experienced some kind of weird blight this past year.  Our hedges died, our wisteria died and we had an ash tree that died.  But after discussing it with our local greenhouse expert, we were told that the deep freezes this past winter killed our plants.  Our flower beds were looking pretty sad--especially considering that our friends had it looking fabulous when we came home from China last summer.

But I knew I could count on one thing coming up in our garden.  MINT!  I planted mint in our flower bed about 3 years ago.  No one told me it would take over my garden.  And I discovered that I didn't even really like fresh mint.

But here it is in all it's glory.  As I started working in my flower beds today, God gave me a visual.  And it's something He was already dealing with in my heart.  So I ran and grabbed my camera and began taking photos--after I'd already pulled up most of the mint!

Do you have a stubborn root growing in your heart?  As I began digging up the mint (and it was everywhere!), I realized the root of mint grows like many long fingers snaking through the soil.  The mint looks so pretty...so healthy...so beautiful...so minty and fresh!  But the roots take over and choke out the life of other plants growing in the garden.  It even begins growing in the middle of flowers.  I found myself digging and pulling from every direction.

And then I got to the root of it all.  WOW!  Is this a hunk of root, or what???  It was so satisfying pulling this out of the soil.  What root is growing in your heart?  It's been a root of fear in my own life.  It's taken many forms on the surface...but the root of it all has been fear.  This past year, I began to recognize what the root was in my own life.  And I feel like I've done this very thing---dug out the big chunk!  It's soooo satisfying!

And the good thing as you dig out the root...it has no life of it's own.  Apart from the soil where it's fed, it dies. 

And the mint?  It can be tasty.  But apart from it's root, it dies, too.  What is the "mint" in your life?  It could be anger, bitterness, adultery, materialism, etc., etc.  It may taste good, but it will choke the life out of the true fruit.

You may get dirty like I did as you dig up those roots.  I even ended up with a splinter in a finger that I can't seem to get out.  But is it worth it?  Absolutely....ab-so-lutely! 

But as you fill the trash bag with all those roots, you may need some help carrying it out.  (This was very heavy!!)  But God has told you to yoke up with Him and He'll carry the heavy burden and give us the light burden.  He delights to do the heavy work.

In place of the mint, I've planted grapes---true fruit!  No more mint which is just the appearance of something appealing...but which can choke out the garden of your heart.  Clean out those ugly roots in your garden beds and let the true fruit grow.  It feels so good--so freeing.

I think my garden is going to mean a little more to me this summer.