When you least expect it, weeds are more than ready to invade your life. Trust me. I know way too much about weeds. In fact, I’ve refreshed my 2019 blog on the maddening creepers just for you. And, well, it’s a timely reminder for me.
Weeds are the bane of me. I am NOT a fan of weeds (I like them less than squirrels). It seems like even if I put down double layers of weed barrier under my landscaping rocks, the pesky plants still find a way to grow on top of dirt wedged in the rocks. Grrrrr . . . . Every late spring and summer, I spend hours in my backyard weeding. If you are a gardener or have even a small lawn or potted plants, I suspect you can relate.
We’ve All Got Weeds
I looked online and could quickly identify some of the dreaded vegetation in my yard. Carpetweed. Are we supposed to walk on it? Large crabgrass. That one does make me crabby. Prickly lettuce. Yep, that one has fine little barbs that hurt. Oh, the organic gardening site advises: Wear gloves. Common cocklebur. Common ragweed. Redroot pigweed. I’m not hog wild about the pigweed, which is a stubborn botanical nemesis of mine.
Years ago my friend Renee shared the phrase, “I’ve got enough weeds in my own backyard.” Her meaning? Don’t go pointing out the flaws and mistakes of others around you, notice and work on your own your imperfections.
Naming The Dreaded Vegetation
So let me put names to some of the weeds in my own life. Grumbling. Impatience. Fear. Criticism. Gulp. . . . I trust I’m not alone in these noxious behaviors. People who know how to keep going strong in life are aware of invasive sprouts and vines in their own lives. Bend-and-don’t-break people are reticent to pull up and toss the pesky attitudes and actions that creep in. And a note from the vegetation website: Pulled plants can re-root.
“Pulled plants can re-root.” Now that’s a phrase worth pondering. We need to dig down to the root of our own weeds and deal with the underlying problems, forsaking excuses or ignoring the need to change. Gulp.
The good news with our troubling vines and shoots? God knows all about them and reminds us that He’s the Master Gardener. We don’t have chop, spray and pull our problem weeds ourselves.
Help From a Higher Source
Galatians 6:7-9 in the New Testament addresses our nettlesome vegetation. “. . . What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life. So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit.”
So be quick to get rid of weeds of grumbling, impatience, criticism, and all the troublesome rest. And go deep to the roots. If you need any unwanted vegetation to practice on, I’ll meet you in my backyard.







I LOVE this post, Beth! I’m a happy gardener, too, and I hated weeds. I asked God once, if there was ANY redeeming quality in pig-weeds, aka careless weeds, and He showed me (via internet) that the leaves are very healthy to eat! The young plants can be eaten in salads and the older ones must be boiled. Then I found out that purse lane is one of the healthiest plants (weeds) you can grow!!! And dandelion roots fight cancer, while the rest of the plant is also healthy. I think lambs quarters are healthy, too. But night shade is super poisonous and EVERY little root portion left in the ground , grows a new plant. Same with ragweed. They are treacherous and evil. I wonder what new (to me) weeds I’ll find in Florida, when I move there. The big thing i guess, is making sure there are no fire ants in my yard before pulling weeds!!!!!
Joli, thank you for pointing out that there are some redeeming qualities in certain weeds. Personally, I plan to just keeping pulling and de-rooting the weeds in my yard because I don’t think many are suitable for human consumption. Yes, you will have new weed challenges in Florida, but I know you will be reading up on them and choosing wisely. And, do be careful with those fire ants. Ughhhh!
One of your best! I know how you love flowers, so weeds are a real assault on your heart.
Thank you so much, Helen! I DO love flowers and I do not like high weeds growing in my landscaping rocks. I also learn from the analogy of weeds in our own lives. You know how important it is to ask the Lord to search us and know us and invite Him into our weed maintenance.
Yep. Got to nip those weeds in the bud! Thanks.
And even before they bud! Thanks, Nancy.