Please allow me to ruminate a bit: Pine needles are a lot like the problems and mistakes of life! You rake them up one day and the next day a whole new batch is there! But they're not all bad. First of all, raking them means good hearty exercise and second of all, they make great mulch for certain plants like my azaleas. So the problems and mistakes of life don't have to be all bad. They're good to keep us alert and ready for the next batch and they're good to learn from and "mulch" our children with so they can learn too. I, myself, learned awhile ago to take the mistakes and not so great traits of my parents and learn from them. If they were unsettling and unhealthy for me then I didn't want the same thing to happen with my children. Have I become perfect then because I have risen above their errors?? I'd love to answer that with a resounding "yes" but then you'd all stop reading right here and probably never visit my blog again. So, alas, I haven't obtained the level of perfection....yet! There are "pine needles" falling in my life daily but when I can teach my children about them or even when they learn themselves from me, then the "exercise" of raking them up has paid off and we'll be "mulched" and prepared for the next time the wind blows.
On the other hand, if we allow the pine needles to stay on the ground or even shake the tree so more will fall (some people LOVE drama--what is that about?) then the grass under the tree will suffocate and eventually die. We can blame the tree. We can blame the wind. Or we can even blame our husband for not going out and raking them up for us!!! :) None of that is good exercise and it doesn't mulch anybody. In fact it does the opposite. It teaches others the wrong and harmful way to deal with life and just causes more and more "needles" to fall.
In God's word James tells us to "consider it all joy when you encounter various trials because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance and perseverance MUST FINISH IT'S WORK so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything!"
So go rake up your pine needles today (I did...literally) and enjoy the blessings that God has waiting just for you!!
