Plant or Harvest?

Image by Bellezza87 from Pixabay

I’ve been noticing some repetition in myself. Complaining. I don’t think of it as complaint, more just speaking what’s on my mind – Ha! The problem is that what’s on my mind is often what I have not gotten done or noticing what needs to be done. Like fold laundry or clean crumbs off the floor or more importantly, writing like I say I will do. My response to “how has your day been” is too often a litany of what I have not accomplished. If I am noticing this litany, I am sure I’m wearing out a few folks with it. The truth is, I have the good fortune of flexibility to do my work, loving on my grands, interacting with a lot of people, and gosh – the privilege of simply pushing a button to start the laundry!

When I sat down for prayer this morning, this quote from Robert Lewis Stevenson spoke to me:

Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant.

It’s high time to shift my thoughts and subsequently my behavior. First of all, rather than lament what I’ve not done and fueling negativity in myself, just do it! Secondly, notice my thoughts before they form on my tongue so I plant seeds of gratitude, especially with those most familiar with my days (and obsessiveness). Let my productivity be a by-product of how I am in the world rather than defining who I am.

Gracious God, grant me the awareness to be more mindful about planting seeds of gratitude and compassion and may my harvest have a happier yield.

Thank you, friends, for meeting me here. I’ve missed you.

In this together…