This spring and last spring every day on my way to and from work, I would see this older woman (yes even at 50 there are older woman) out in her yard. She would be sitting on this little plastic step stool pulling weeds. Last spring, I remember thinking how dedicated and vigilant she was. This spring, as I began to see her out again, I was just amazed that she was out there every morning before work, and each afternoon on my way home. This spring however, God began to speak to me and use this woman. I had just went round and round with God over a series Andy Stanley did on comparing. About finding your worth in looking to the left and right of you. As I watched her each day I noticed that the neighbor's yard was full of dandelions. I remember thinking how fruitless, those are all going to blow right over in her yard.
God began to reiterate the whole looking to the left and right again. He said Janet she is not worried about the neighbors weeds. She is only concentrating on the weeds in her yard. He began to say that is what you need to do, not worry about the sins in your neighbors heart. Work on weeding your own yard. Weeding your own heart. She isn't just mowing over those weeds and getting rid of them temporarily, she is diligently pulling them up individually by the roots to get rid of them forever. How often had I just mowed over my sins? Getting rid of them temporarily, just to have them pop up again? Never digging to the root of what caused them, or where thy came from.
So as I drove by each day I began to think about areas in my life I needed to work on. Problem areas that kept popping up like weeds. And I continued to think about weeding my heart only, not my neighbors.
Then in that still small voice, that I don't audibly hear, but that I hear in my heart. God began to say, you need to stop and tell this woman the impact she had on you. God she will think I am some kind of freak. Weed one - pride. God I just can't do that, I won't do that. Weed two - totally disobeying God. So I didn't do it, and then I stopped seeing her out. And I really began to regret not acting on the lead of the holy spirit.
Then one evening on my way home from working out. I passed her house, and there was a woman sitting outside on the step, but I wasn't even sure it was her. I would like to say, I immediately pulled in the drive, but I didn't. I drove by four times before pulling in.
I pulled in her drive, got out of the car and asked, "are you the woman who sits out in the yard pulling weeds?" She said "yes." I said "You are going to think I am crazy, but I have been driving by and watching you, and God used you to speak to me. He told me I need to be diligent and work on the areas of my heart that need weeded." The woman got big tears in her eyes. She said "you don't know what that means to me. Do you know what I am doing out there as I pull weeds? I am praying."
I introduced myself and we talked for awhile. She told me how her husband had been sick and died a few years ago. She said can I tell you a story about how amazing my God is? She began to tell me about how before her husband had died, they were worried about how they were going to pay their taxes. They decided to have a yard sale, so she was outside cleaning up some of her husband's tools and praying. She said a man she knew pulled up and said, I know you have been praying and have financial needs. He said I am here to meet those. He handed her an envelope with $907.00 dollars in it. She said a few weeks later when they got their taxes the bill was $907.00. She said that is how amazing my God is, the amount was to the tee so there would be no doubt who provided that need.
We talked a few more minutes about the amazing God we share. I thanked her and told her I would be watching for her when I passed by. She said I will be watching for you and pray for you when I see you. I have a feeling I will be stopping in to see her again. Because no matter what our age, we can always use Titus women in our lives.
Thanks for reading.
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