The plant had three leaves and a red stalk. It was in the middle of my strawberry patch.
I had seen it for several days and didn’t pay any attention to it. Then I realized it was poison ivy.
I have seen poison ivy growing up trees, its stalk as thick as a fat carrot. It’s roots deep into the soil. It would be hard to dig out a huge poison ivy plant that had been growing for years.
To protect my hands, I pulled out the weed with a plastic bag on my hand. A little tug and it came out easily.
The roots were about 5 inches long. They were branching out and growing deeper.
Pull out the weeds before the roots get deep into your soul.
No, I didn’t misspell the word. I meant your soul. Do you have weeds in your life? Do you have weeds in your soul? Bitterness? Rage? Anger?
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Ephesians 4:31
The longer the bad attitudes stay, the harder they are to get rid of. Rage becomes a habit, just like staying up too late, speeding, picking your nose, and not rinsing off your plate after you eat a fried egg.
You know how hard it is to clean your plate after the egg has dried on it. If you rinse off your plate right after you eat an egg, it comes off easily.
I remembered parts of verse in Ephesians the above verse when I searched for it on google. It came up and I copied it from the internet. I opened my bible, a NIV study bible. The bible I bought in Hong Kong in 1985. This verse comes next.
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32
After you pull out your bitterness weeds, forgive and plant kindness.
I have some weeding to do today. In my garden, and in my life.
I want to pull out the weeds before they grow bigger.
I have a few weeds that are small, and a few that have been growing for years. I water them daily. I tell friends how mean someone was to me.
I dwell on the bitterness. Stirring up the anger, again and again.
It is time to shut-up and weed.
Will you garden today?
