There are times when I feel like a circus performer, tossing balls in the air and hoping I don’t drop any of the glass ones . . . or walking a tightrope while balancing a child on each hip, just hoping I don’t trip . . . or like a clown trying to achieve a seemingly impossible task which usually involves driving the clown car and being multiple places at once. I can hear the music in the background and it has become the soundtrack of my life. It is in those times when I realize that my soil is really, really, rocky. I have too many things going on, too many demands, too much junk in my head. And I realize that I haven’t nurtured any of the seeds from the Lord.
Other times it is the thorns of sin that choke out His seeds. I have cleared the field of those rocks, but rather than a bunch of stuff getting in the way, I am the one who gets in the way. I choke out the seeds. Maybe my prayer life is lacking, maybe it’s been a while since I spent time in the confessional, maybe I am spending time with people who bring out my less desirable characteristics.
And then there is that time when our soil is too shallow. We are going through the motions. We are going to Mass, being good, following the rules, and just going along with life. But we aren’t growing. We have shallow roots.
So how do we keep our soil rich and deep? One thing that helps is having careful boundaries. I stink at this. I want to say yes to everything. We also need to be careful about what and whom we allow into our lives. If you have things or people in your life who are detrimental to your spiritual life, re-evaluate those relationships. Re-evaluate how you are spending your free time. Are you too busy for prayer but not too busy to binge watch the latest Netflix show? Feed your soil with Scripture, with great Catholic podcasts, with books on our faith or spiritual practices. Get to know some Saints and grow in friendship with them. Find a small group of women to grow with and be intentional. Do whatever helps you to better know Christ.
It is time to grow.Click to tweet
If you are nourishing the soil of your life then the seeds that Christ plants will bloom and you will grow. So let go of the other stuff. It is time to grow.
MaryRuth Hackett is Director of Operations for Blessed is She. She loves historical fiction, dark chocolate, watching her children play soccer, a good cup of coffee (decaf please) and the quiet of the early morning. She holds a PhD in Educational Psychology and has a passion for helping parents understand the way their children grow and develop. You can find out more about her here.
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