Today is a gift for me.  It is one of those rare days when, at least at this time of the day, there are no expectations I know about except the ones I have for it.  And, the only expectations are: to plant.  I have 18 rather large pots on the deck of our home and today I plant all of them.  I spent time last week getting the flats of annuals for them and today is planting day.  I don’t talk about this a lot because most people look at me funny if I do and say something like, “Oh, ugh, that’s nice.”  Enough of that.

I have begun to read through the Old Testament using The Message.  I’m into Leviticus and finding once again how grateful I am to be living after Christ has come to pay the price for sin–once and for all.  The rules and regulations given to man were amazing.  To think that Christ took care of all of them for us (me) is amazing grace.  For Christ to pay the price, for God to sacrifice His Son and on top of all that–to be given His Holy Spirit as a gift if we will only accept Christ as our Savior–well, how can we ever be worthy of such love and generosity?  I know I can’t except through Jesus’ paid sacrifice once and for all.

Looking at this gift Christ has given to each of us has created in me a desire to be worthy of it.  I’ve worked a lot of years on this assignment–yet I was always doing it to cover up the old man (the abused man) I thought I was.  I’m forever grateful to be awakening more and more to living in the new creation Christ gave me so long ago and only of late am I learning to accept this gift without thinking I have to earn it.  Reading Leviticus, as I said, only intensifies just how much God and Christ sacrificed for our eternity with them.  Isn’t it amazing?!

Well, if you want to find me today you won’t have to look far.  I’ll be on my deck.  Most folks look at what I have there for the day and say, “Wow, that looks like a lot of work.”  Well, I guess it would be if they were having to do it.  For me, well, it is one of the best gifts I could ever be given–a day with plants without any interruptions!