When the Path Before You is Unclear... Proverbs 3:5-6

Greetings Friends! Before my post today, I just had to share who was hanging out at my house! If you follow me on Instagram, you've probably seen multiple photos of this baby deer who found a resting place in my front yard, tucking its feet under and sometimes even sleeping with its chin down on the ground. On the first day I took a photo, it never moved, even when I worked in the area for awhile. At first I was concerned it might be ill, as one this size usually travels with Momma, and it was still a little wobbly on its legs. However, I've since seen it frolicking in the neighborhood and it seems to be fine.  Sweet little fawn! 

I've been busy in the back garden again and there is something about working outdoors in the midst of nature that makes me more aware of spiritual truths evident in simple everyday tasks. The first scripture I ever memorized was Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In all of your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight. I think there is also a translation that reads ...He will direct your path. To this day, it is one of my very favorites and it has encouraged me countless times. So...when the main path in my garden had become almost completely overgrown by my bountiful rosemary, I was reminded of this verse in a very literal sense--I had a path that needed directing! In this photo of the far end of the path, there are stepping stones still visible.

However, here and as was the case for most of the long path, the rosemary had grown completely over the stepping stones, and since they had originally been placed in the middle, the path had pretty much been eliminated. Why not trim the rosemary back? Seems like the logical solution or so I thought when I spent hours last spring cutting bags full of rosemary, but by fall it was growing back with a vengeance! Great for my herb business, but a little perplexing for landscaping...

It seems hard to imagine that literally moving the path over would end up being a better solution, but in fact that is just what I found to be true!  Though it was time consuming, it was actually less strenuous than all of the previous trimming. I used a hoe, to push, pull and scoot the heavy stones out from under the rosemary to the new middle of the path. Then, I repeated the same process to move the large rocks bordering the path. As Favorite Son says, "Work smarter, not harder!" As I worked, I contemplated how often I may have the tendency to jump to an assumption about the easiest solution to a problem, only to later realize it wasn't the best solution. Can you relate?

Now you can see the moved border rocks and stepping stones in relation to the rosemary. Uh-oh! I realized a wild tree that had recently sprung up inside the old border was now another obstacle in my repositioned path. As is often the case in my project world, one thing leads to another! 

Don't let the small size fool you--I trimmed all of the branches down to the ground but this sucker had some deep roots! It took as much time digging and working to get it out as all of the other work combined.  

Success at last! The angle of the photo is a little unclear, I'm holding the tree roots after finally digging them out. See my red garden glove?

Now for some pretty afters! Here's a view walking toward the garden gate. 

Going the opposite direction, I created a curve in the new course of the path so it will still wind under the arch.

Why, yes that is more rosemary on the other side of the arch! 

I took these photos mid morning when the path and the front part of the garden were in filtered sunlight. Beyond the arch the rest of the garden is in full sunlight and I rather like the effect.

A lesson from my garden: figuratively or literally, my hope is that I'm willing to change any paths in my life that need redirecting.