I have been trying to come up with a recipe for living with weeds.

The back of our place is mostly paved, but there is a line of weeds running along the side of the building and it drives me nuts.

I wrote a piece for the ACW Lent anthology, a reflection on the parable of the weeds in Matthew 13. I came to the conclusion that, for now, God wants us to live with them.

It gave me an idea for a cool new devotional series called… wait for it…

Nettle Soup for the Soul!

What a nifty idea eh? 😀 A book of devotional pieces that don’t remove the sting, they just help you live with it.

Here’s the other tricky thing. Opposite our line of weeds, is a wall that has all sorts of things growing out of it and behind it. I was pulling them out when a friend told me I was pulling away at perfectly lovely… flowers. Can’t remember what she called them. So how am I supposed to know the difference? How am I supposed to recognise the bits of scraggy growth that have potential to bloom?

Only God knows what are pointless weeds and what will blossom, in the mean time, there’s mercy available until it’s time to get rid of them.

Anyone for nettle soup?

photo credit: nesson-marshall april-2018 – 30 via photopin (license)