I love to garden, but despite my best intentions, I have a hard time keeping plants indoors.

Eventually, inevitably, I find myself releasing the delusion that of my own effort, I control life.

The evidence is incontrovertible: dead limbs, discarded leaves that had held such promise, false starts…

All that’s left to do is to confess I cannot to this thing on my own, and put the plant out where the rain falls as it will, and the sun either shines or it doesn’t.

And then… L’chaim!!

Words cannot express my delight when I see new life where once I saw only my own failure.

A simple reminder that it is by grace we are saved, not by works, lest any man should boast.