Living as I do in Perth, Australia, I am very aware of the value of water. We have water restrictions all year round, with set days and times to water our gardens.
The soil here is sand and it absorbs water in a moment, so we enrich our soil and add wetting agents in order to allow the plants to get the water they need.
For water is crucial in a garden. Even succulents need water to survive. But the key is to water in the right way for the plant. Rosemary likes dry soil, and thrives in our Perth climate. Other plants need plenty or water and regular soakings and the aforementioned succulents need to be flooded with water after a really dry phase.
We need to alter the watering to suit the plant and the season they are in. We water more in the dry of summer and less during the rains of winter. And we can damage plants with too much water, too much attention at the wrong time, just as easily as we can damage them with neglect.
As one of the quiet rites of spring, I am quietly contemplating my life. I am thinking about where I need to water well so the roots can go deep, and where I need to stop watering lest I damage the plant. I am thinking about what areas need more attention and what needs less.
Are you in a dry season? Are you feeling parched and dry, waiting for the water to come?
Or are you feeling overwhelmed? There is too much coming your way and you feel you are drowning.
Maybe take some time today and think about what areas of your life need more attention, and what needs a little less. Think about where you need to pour your precious energy, your water, as it were. For like us in Perth. You may only have a limited amount and need to spend it wisely.
For your reflection today I leave you with this beautiful passage from Isaiah. Peace be with you,
Jodie
As the rain and the snow
Isaiah 55: 10-11 (NIV)
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
