MUSINGS
                         

As you might have guessed, I like to be in my garden. It’s a great time to put hands in gear and let my mind wander. As it has been promised to be Spring soon (!), I have been pulling weeds to make way for the veggies I want to grow. That got me thinking as I pulled up a yellow dandelion that somehow made it into the garden area, of my children when they were very young and loved to pick dandelions. I thought back to my own childhood and how I loved to pick purple violets which I thought were beautiful (and I still do). I happen to love clover in my lawn grass as the blossoms feed the honeybees. Gardening wisdom says they’re all weeds. Pull them, dig them, mow. And then I reflected that what is a weed to some may not be a “weed” to others. My thoughts turned to people and how some might be considered “weeds” in the garden of life.

We have used the Affirmation of Faith from the Declaration of Faith 1977 a few times now. I like it. (The full copy is on the last page of Newsy.) We are told that “rejecting God’s love and not caring for others whom God loves is eternal separation from him and them. He loves the whole world. Because of God’s love, in Christ we have good hope for all people, not exempting the most unlikely. Judgement belongs to God, and not to us.”

When I return to the thoughts of my garden, I think of the dandelion, one of the first flowers for bees in the spring and with edible leaves. The clover puts nitrogen back into the soil as well as feeding the bees and making for a soft barefoot walk. I haven’t thought of another purpose for the violets, but maybe they’re just there to be beautiful for little girls to pick.

I do believe we at Union follow the principles in the Affirmation. We all have a purpose, a place, and a job, and we are rewarded by being included in this warm family of God. We welcome all and include all. What a beautiful garden, weeds and all.

Nancy Thomas

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