"Salty Shores Ranch Vineyard"

I've been working outside, though not enough.  Spring always seems to get ahead of me.  I make a vow not to let it happen every year.  It still does.  I don't know how it did this year.  Winter seemed to go on forever, and ever and was hard on my plants.

I've been especially worried about my vineyard and began to look at the vines toward the middle of March.  They looked like dead wood.  "It's real early." I consoled myself.  But, I watched them in April and May.  I've seen some changes, but not on all of the plants, so a feeling of deep concern has been haunting me for two months now.

During that time there has been lots of growth all around the vines.  How could the grass and other plants be swallowing up my grapes unless they were dead?  I ran this question through my head again and again.  Then one day I decided I needed to try to catch up with the work of spring and uncover the vines I knew were lurking under all that grass.

I began my work with high hopes.  Experience has taught me that new growth on plants is very tender so I chose a gentile reclamation approach for each individual vine; bare hands and manual wool sheers.  I began uncovering one plant and went from vine to vine.

As I pulled and clipped the grass away I began to see small green buds began to soak up sunlight.  Some were beginning to explode into nice broadening leaves!  Sure, there was some dead wood there too.  But, the new growth was there.  I never would have seen it without taking the time to carefully remove the more rapidly growing clutter.

You and I also live in a time of rapidly growing clutter.  There has never been a time like this in our era.  If you're like me it is sometimes hard to catch your breath, as the world seems to shift and be molded right before our very eyes.  It can be unsettling and discouraging.  Sometimes I feel as if I can't grow and change fast enough.  Our world seems to be springing ahead of me.  No matter what my good intentions are, it seems as if I can't get on top of all the change.  That makes it almost impossible to see my own personal growth because I'm focused on all the clutter.

So, join me in taking time each day to do a little personal reclamation.  Before you get out of bed take a few minutes to reflect on what good came into your life the day before.  Make a mental note of it and then say to yourself, "I'm excited to see what good will come into my life today."  It will begin to transform your life.

It will also make it easier for you to take a few minutes at the beginning of your week to recollect all of the previous week's good so the calm of gratitude can wash over you.  When you do, you'll soon recognize your own growth because the insignificant, yet overwhelming, will be sheared away.

Being to uncover your own personal growth today by implementing these two small steps.  I'll be looking for the small green buds growing behind your ears.