Forgotten strawberry patch

I thought I had got my allotment sorted in the autumn, beds cleared, black weed suppressant down, fruit bushes and trees pruned, but then I realised that as the weather got colder and wetter, I had completely forgotten to sort out my strawberry patch. Big mistake! It was no longer a neat patch but a tangled mess of runners that had decided to take over quite a big area and I was not looking forward to dealing with it. So, I put it off until we had some fine weather in early February and steeled myself to get digging and sorting. I definitely won’t leave it this year. It’s taken quite an effort but I have almost got it under control and rehomed some of the plants with friends and so I hope they get a good crop of delicious fruits as well.
 
I’ve put off writing this blog too! And it’s still raining. Apparently, we have had a record-breaking wet February and March has started the same way. So, as I sit here watching the rain I’ve been thinking, what other things do I put off, and if I didn’t avoid them, I would be so much better off? I make lists of the things I have to do in the house, the allotment, shopping and things for church and tick them off. I can’t do without lists but I don’t really have a plan about what I could be reading or listening to, to build up my faith. Yes, “The Bible in a Year” is a good start to the day, but is that enough?
 
My allotment is my space away from the stresses of the day, a place of quiet and a place to think as I dig or plant or hopefully harvest. It’s the solitude that helps me to settle my thoughts and spend time with God as I work. So, this Lent I am challenging myself to be more intentional about spending quality time with God, maybe listening to talks as I garden and reading more. I’ve been reading the book recommended by Eils Osgood for Lent, “The rest is worship” by Sara and Sam Hargreaves, and have found this song very helpful, based on Matthew 11:28 and other verses, which starts
 
Come all you heavy laden. Come all you broken down.
Come all you burned and fragile, find rest for your souls.
 
You can listen to it by following this link. My response to my challenge is definitely a work in progress, but with God’s help I will hopefully stick at it. I will let you know!

Photo by Kamala Bright on Unsplash