Lost in the Weeds

Through my years of writing, the theme of “weeds” often pops up. One man’s weed is another man’s flower…Control your weeds or they will take over everything…It’s easy to get lost in the Weeds.

Weeds. Those pesky things infuriate some, crowding in unwanted, and in some areas, it’s what we call the invaders and takeovers. As in, if you don’t get a handle on them, they’ll take over everything. I’m thinking of Kudzu in the south or Scotch Broom here in Washington.

I just read this year’s warning about the Asian Giant Hornet that decimates all other wasps and beehives. Invasive! Threatening! Destroy!

Suddenly, it’s ominous. You start to look at the edges of your yard and life. What’s invading and threatening to take over? If you don’t handle it now, it may be too late tomorrow.

There and then you will be “lost in the weeds.”

Apropos

This theme can be applied to every facet of life. Watch out for the things that invade and take over your life. They can start out small but have a way of digging in and crowding out. Relationships can sour from an innocent flirtation. Momentary dissatisfaction can easily become a huge disgruntled outlook. Go over the speed limit by 1 mph, or, as an advertisement used to say, “Nine you’re fine, ten you’re mine!“

Applicable themes and outlooks show up in every facet of life!

Early Friday morning and I’m working on this thought. A word comes to mind, and I pause to research how often I’ve used it. Hundreds of times in various blog posts through the years. Wait… There’s one post I never posted. Back in 2017, I started to write, and I must have been interrupted because I never hit “publish.” My best intentions were probably to finish it, but my sister was here and we were going to see the granddaughter, and that was more important than finishing the thought.

I now realize it’s a thought lost to the weeds of time.

Stumbling through my contact database I find the same thing but in a different vein of thought. Names of people who should no longer be in my list of contacts. Some have passed away, others moved on. Some created personal struggles for me but I cannot find the energy to “cancel” them. Others were just the automatic feature of my phone that saved their information.

It’s Easy to Get Lost in the Weeds

This is my problem in many avenues of life. Weeds represent rabbit trails of thought and action that lead me from my intention. Life is left without completion due to distractions. Sometimes that’s okay. The end result of the trail took me into a valuable activity or thought. Other times? I pause and wonder, “Where was I going?“

How do you handle these times? The pandemic and tragedy that is the comedy of life leave many of us gasping for normalcy. Some have the attitude of “buckling down” and leaning into the moment. Others go with the flow and who knows where the tidal flow will finally deposit their lives.

I ask myself this question of me, myself, and I. Am I lost in the weeds?

Let me back into this thought from Isaiah 50:7, where the prophet defined his face is set like flint. It’s a short chapter that opens the thought to Israel’s sin, but the servant of the Lord’s obedience. Maybe this is how you separate yourself from the weeds. Set your face like flint.

Every morning (mostly the weekdays), I set before my computer and allow a fresh thought to permeate my mind. I asked the Lord for a “fresh thought” every day and he has never let me down. The problem? There are more thoughts than I have time to write about, but I’m in the mode that I refuse to quit. Even when my words are not read.

In a verse, before ol’ flint face defined himself, he uttered these words that speak volumes to me – “Don’t get lost in the weeds!“

“The Lord GOD has given Me The tongue of the learned,
That I should know how to speak A word in season to him who is weary.
He awakens Me morning by morning,
He awakens My ear To hear as the learned.
Isaiah 50:4 NKJV

God has given me the impetus to speak, but he’s awakens me with an ear ready to hear. For me? That’s weeding the garden of thought and keeping my mind focused as strong as a rock.

I’m not lost in the weeds!