Digging to the roots

I've been thinking about thinking. It's a powerful thought. Thoughts are powerful things.

The positive or negative thoughts in our little minds have such a tremendous impact on our lives. The smallest negative thought can fester and grow into an enormous burden. Likewise, the miniscule positive thought can grow into achievements beyond anything we thought possible. Matthew 17:20 tells us "I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

I was doing some gardening today and decided to get rid of a plant in the yard that has been bothering me for months. It was mostly dead on the top and inside, but starting to get new growth on the bottom. It's a thorny bush that looks rather hideous with the dead branches sticking out from everywhere. I've been putting off the removal of this plant for several reasons. First, I thought Scott was going to get to it. He would have. Eventually. Things are very busy around here right now with finals coming up. But I digress.

The second, third, fourth...nineteenth...reasons all had to do with me. I thought I didn't have enough energy. That was the main thing. I haven't had my thyroid medicine, I didn't get enough rest, I'm out of shape. In other words, I had excuses. I had excuses for my excuses. I had negative thoughts.

I finished all my other gardening and resolved to tackle the bush that looked like Side Show Bob in drag. The plant was only a couple of feet high and wide. How hard could it be? Ha!

I started digging. And digging. And digging. I found that the more I dug, the deeper the roots went. How could this tiny bush have such big roots in such abundance? It was insane. As I continued to dig, I was continuously scraped and scratched by the prolific thorns and dead twigs protruding from this demon plant. It seemed like the roots would never end.

That's what got me thinking about thoughts. Mostly about excuses, actually. They are the bush that seems attractive with all the pink flowers, but they have thorns underneath that bite and gnaw continuously. And of course, they have roots. As I found with the plant, much to my chagrin, sometimes even the roots have roots! What happens if you don't get all the roots? The tree grows back, as thorny and ugly as ever.

I won't go into all the root digging I did concerning the thoughts I described above. Suffice it to say, I had plenty of time to think while digging. The reason I hadn't tackled the plant before is because sometimes I'm just plain lazy. That's the reason I don't do a lot of things I should do. I'll have to tackle that one soon enough. I found, too, that I have very little follow through. I'll start something and not finish. The excuse is "I have no will power" or "I needed a rest" or "I have this medical issue". The root of the root is laziness. That's why I haven't finished my novel. That's why I haven't lost the weight. That's why, well, you get the picture.

And it's almost why I gave up on the plant. The sun was getting hot, my shoulder getting sore, and I was dying of thirst. I was so close, and ready to give up on the plant, but also on my ability to remove it. Then I remembered the mustard seed. Luke 17:6 tells the same story (ah, the marvelous cohesion of the Bible) with a little different twist: " He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you." All I can say is, it applies to bouganvillas as well. The deed is done. I'm sore and sweaty, but better off for it. Not only is the tree on its way to the dump, but I uncovered some roots of my own.