Eradicate the Ferns / Little Foxes

One of the many faults that I posses is being an over thinker. I will over analyze something into the ground. It's horrible and the time that I seem to be most susceptible to this malady is around three a.m.. Yes, that's A.M. ! Now that sleeping through the night is a semi-regular occurrence, my mind takes off on flights of over analyzing EVERYTHING ! It seems that nightmares are better than this. I know that I am not alone in my goofiness. We all do it. Most folks just don't talk about it, then there's me, who puts it out there for discussion.  

One morning last week I was reading in my little morning devotional a scripture verse that means a lot to me. It's from the Song of Solomon, "Catch the little foxes for us, the little foxes that are ruining the vineyards while the fruit is on the vine...". I have always heard this interpreted as a metaphor for those little things that distract us in life, the ugly things, the gossip, hearsay, envy and petty grievances, "foxes" that "spoil the fruit" of a good life. Whether the thoughts are real or perceived, we do it, it's part of being a human being. 

Today, I set out on a quest to trim palm trees at the entryway to our home. I planted ferns underneath the palms last year, those ferns have since taken hold and are setting out to take over the world. I have never seen so many ferns in one spot. As I started my quest to take back the front of the house, I began to yank those ferns out by the fist full. There were piles of ferns everywhere. I started thinking, "these ferns are like the 'little foxes' in my life, if I give them an inch they will take me over".

Thinking back to my three a.m. appointment with those "little foxes" last night, I began to realize how important it is for us to not let the "ferns" the "little foxes" take hold in our mind and emotions. Keeping a clear path for goodness to flow through us. I am no good to anyone when my mental "garden" is filled with overgrowth of petty grievances. I must daily set out on a quest to "catch the little foxes" and "eradicate the ferns", so that this journey, this brief existence I have here will be filled with the sweet blossoms of life. And that life, is the life I hope to live.

The Fern Eradication, a Life Long Quest !