Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.  Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.  But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

James 1:22-25

We’ve weeded and planted our perennial and vegetable gardens here on the farm.  Now for the finishing touch . . .

Mulch.

For me, mulching is instant gratification.  In a short period of time, our gardens go from OK to WOW.  Sorta how I look when I rip off my grungy gardening clothes, wipe mulch dust off my face and knees, whip on a dress and heels and head out the door on that date with my husband—all in ten minutes flat.

(Yep.  Hot.  Or at least that’s what my husband says.  I’m thinking BEFORE he puts in his contacts?)

Mulching isn’t just about dressing up gardens so they look good.  Mulching has a greater purpose. Spreading the shredded hardwood keeps the weeds down, nourishes the soil, retains the moisture and keeps plant roots cool when the sun beats hard come the dog days of summer.

Knowing and applying God’s word to our lives is as important as applying mulch to our gardens. God’s word keeps the weeds of our sin down, nourishes our lives, keeps us from withering in dry seasons, and keeps us cool when life heats up.

Wouldn’t make sense to keep “the mulch” in a pile and not spread it, would it?

Master Gardener, keep covering me with your word!  Keep mulching me, making me beautiful in Christ’s sight!  Help me hold my sure hope that I’ll reach my prime, in your perfect time,  by allowing you to apply your goodness over my life. Help me stay pliable in your hands, O God, because only a soft soul allows anything good to grow.  Amen.

  As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.  As the rain and the snow 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.

Isaiah 55:9-11