Over the weekend my husband and I went and picked up our first batch of flowers to plant in our yard. I say the first batch because it typically takes us five or six truckloads of flowers to get enough to cover the yard. Every year I try to talk him into hiring someone else to do the picking and planting of the flowers and every year he insists we do it ourselves. It’s my job is to pick out the flowers and place them where they will look best in the yard and it’s his job is to actually plant them. For as much as I complain about doing it each year I have to also admit there is a tremendous satisfaction that comes from knowing you did it yourselves. And my husband loves being able to sit back and enjoy the beauty of our hard work each year.  For me the lesson has been to be very careful what I pick out to have planted. I have to get the right color of flowers and a blend of plants that will look good together as they bloom and grow. As I thought about this it reminded me of a poem I once saw. It’s called

Be Careful What You Plant

If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.

If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.

If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.

If you plant perseverance, you will reap victory.

If you plant consideration, you will reap harmony.

If you plant hard work, you will reap success.

If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.

If you plant openness, you will reap intimacy.

If you plant patience, you will reap improvements.

If you plant faith, you will reap miracles.

But…

If you plant dishonesty, you will reap distrust.

If you plant selfishness, you will reap loneliness.

If you plant pride, you will reap destruction.

If you plant envy, you will reap trouble.

If you plant laziness, you will reap stagnation.

If you plant bitterness, you will reap isolation.

If you plant greed, you will reap loss.

If you plant gossip, you will reap enemies.

If you plant worries, you will reap wrinkles.

If you plant sin, you will reap guilt.

So be careful what you plant now, as it will determine what you will reap tomorrow. The seeds you now scatter will make life worse or better, your life or the ones who will come after. Yes, someday, you will enjoy the fruits, or you will pay for the choices you plant today.

Every time I look out at my amazing flowers blooming in the yard I will think of this poem and remember to always be careful what we plant.  Have a beautiful day everyone!

~Amy