weeds

as I sat on the patio enjoying the beauty of the morning
after doing some yard work for my mother-in-law
my eyes were drawn to the fence along the driveway
and the grass/weeds that were out of control
they were such a contrast with the rest of her yard
and it was frustrating because they weren't our weeds
they were on the far side of the fence
in the neighbor's yard
encroaching
invading
marring

a closer look showed that a few were indeed on our side
and all of them were hidden behind some thick hedges
more than likely unseen by the neighbor
it reminded me that sometimes we suffer unpleasant things
through no fault of our own
and it is easy to get caught up in what is in our neighbors yard
and be blind or make excuses for what is in ours
I grabbed the stool hanging on the garage wall
and the trash can near the door
and went to work
reaching under and through as far as I could 

truth be told, we all have weeds in our life
things that we are sometimes blind to
but are glaring to others
things that, if left alone
can easily grow out of control and be unsightly
it is easy to be frustrated
it is easy to get overwhelmed
but the weeds don't always have to remain
it is to our advantage to look closely and take care of what we can
which sometimes includes reaching across
and helping clean up the mess on the other side of the fence

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye."

Matthew 7:1-5