fruit

do you ever feel like you have to work for peace?? i do. ESPECIALLY at bed time.. no no, not MY bed time, THAT comes easily.. but putting my kids to bed, now THAT is a task and a half. ug. and its never peaceful. i am thinking back now, to when those Johnson & Johnson commercials would come on, selling there "night time miracle lavender bath wash and lotion." now, was it me, or did it look like the baby/children magically were in a "lavender trance" as they peacefully went to sleep.. and these actor parents? HA, WHO is still in the room WHILE the child is asleep just petting there face? i know i know, when they are little that happens..... but very few, and far between times.. WE, the parents, look more like tattered up worn out rags than peaceful, "model-esk" <--sooo made that word up, parents! Am i right? or what? So here is the Q.. do we HAVE to work for peace? I mean in an all around sense. Peace in our lives. Peace in our personality profile. Peace in our mind, our spirit. DO we need to work for it. I know the Bible tells us that "peace" is a fruit of the spirit. And, so if i have the Spirit in me, my branches should be sprouting peace! But, what if it isn't? What if that branch has a void? Unfinished buds, that never produce juicy lush "peace fruit?" hmmm... are the fruit of the spirit like a "Pick Your Own Orchard" in our lives? Do we pick n choose what fruit to plant in our orchard of life? Now, i know i gave the "Master Gardener" the keys to the garden a long time ago.. but, i might still have my hand on the seed bags. I mean, i WANT all the fruit, but am i willing to go the distance to truly be transformed? Why would i limit my orchards abundant possibilities, just to hold onto a few thorn bushes, or the "pretty" dandelions disguised as flowers, but are just truly weeds??

A sad fact, but oh so true.

My orchard is growing. It never stops.

The question is, what is it producing?

Peace, or thorns?

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Galatians 5:22