Weeds! Weeds! Weeds!

And I was doing so well!

Since we were not in the field in April and the weather was decent, we spent more time outside cleaning up the yard and getting ready for spring.  For the first time ever the flowers beds were cleaned out, except for the one behind the garage, and they were ready for planting flowers in early May.

The two weeks in South Carolina took a block out of the planting time, but still Mothers Day weekend would be a good time to start the planting process.

That didn't happen.  Visiting in Ohio to see Mom in the hospital on the lest leg of our trip took a couple of days, then mowing at home and at the farm, plus a visit with the kids one day took a bite into flower planting time.  The next week was pre-school VBS, though, and Tessa and Cooper would be great help with flower planting.

That didn't happen either. Mom died on May 19, the funeral was May 23, and we didn't return home until the day before Memorial Day.  The flower beds were overrun once again with weeks, and the bed around the outhouse had so much of that nasty weedy sticky stuff-ugh!  I spent most of the after-dinner time on Monday pulling weeds and prepping the area for flower planting, which I hope will be on Wednesday.

So as I was thinking about these weeds and how abundant they are, I started to think about the negative thoughts that permeate our brains.  Pretty flower beds require some work, much tending.  Positive thoughts in our minds do too.  It is so easy to let one's thoughts be cluttered with weeds, with problems, with stuff that grabs onto the brainwaves and multiplies and just won't let go.  Those negative thoughts can multiply and snuff out good things, cause one to lose focus, and clutter the mind to the point of sleeplessness and more.  Just like weeds can overtake a cleaned out flower bed, negative thoughts or a focus on problems can snuff out sleep, peace of mind, and positive well-being.

Of course I am writing this at 3:00 a.m. Sitting in the recliner.  In the dark. In the living room.  Nights have been bothering me so much lately.  I wake up at 2 or 3 a.m. then my mind fills with fear, anxiety, bad thoughts, and sleep eludes me.

What are my weedy thoughts? Mostly about people dying.  Those night time phone calls that seek our presence at a death bed.  The fact that all four of our parents have died in the early morning hours.  Phone calls have been made early to Megan and Hilary and others in the family at the crack of dawn to tell them the news.  My mind always fills with worries  and concerns in the wee small hours of the night.

Weedy flower beds.  Weedy thoughts.  How can I focus on the good, count my blessings, and calm my mind so I can sleep?