(Follow-up to yesterday’s garden post) Saturday early evening, walking around the MaulHall garden in the cool evening breeze, I finally caught a vision of what might be (once we do a phenomenal amount of hard work).

It’s interesting how it goes. Rebekah has the ability to stand somewhere, anywhere – in an overgrown yard, in a hideously decorated living room, in a broken down, out of date kitchen, in the middle of a group of church leaders – and be genuinely excited about what she sees as possible; not only seeing possibilities, but believing with all her being that the vision really will – by the grace of God – come to fruition.

She sees promise, I believe, because she already lives in the truth of it.

I, on the other hand, have difficulty sometimes seeing past the barren wasteland of a long-neglected garden; or a set of 1978, avocado green, appliances; or the stained shag carpet and silver foil wallpaper in a house that looks like a lot like boatload of money and a pile of work.

Because I can’t capture the vision, it’s difficult for me to get to work. However, once I begin to invest myself, then I quickly see more clearly almost every time.

MOVING: That’s what has happened (is happening) in our garden these past few weeks. I’ve begun the process of hard work, and today I caught a real glimpse of the future.

After a few more hours of clearing, I was finally able to plan out a pathway through to the street. The future suddenly broke through the clouds and I started to see clearly.

I only hope it’s not going to require the kind of visioning that led the original architect of the National Cathedral to etch in the faintest outline of the completed building he knew he’d never witness on a photograph of the foundation and footings. He died some 50 years before the church was completed.

I hope it’s not going to require the quality of imagination that led some of the great landscape architects in England to plant trees that only their grandchildren would see reach maturity.

I don’t think so! But, this process is reminding me of how important it is that great ideas are supported by trust, belief, and hard work.

Rebekah, in a classic example of putting both feet in motion and moving forward, took the reciprocating saw to the back fence to see what a little more visibility could do for us. We’re going to replace the top sections with lattice. I think it’s going to be spectacular!

Today it’s Sunday morning; and church is the only place to be if we want to make our move into what is possible. So when are we going to place our trust in the One who holds the future? When are we going to come up with the courage to begin moving forward as beings of light, and in so doing offer hope and promise to a dark and confused world?

Something’s got to give.

(garden pics:)