Most of my neighbors have beautifully manicured lawns, and their yards have boasted fall decor of pumpkins, mums and hay bales for at least a couple of weeks. Since we were having a cul-de-sac Halloween party last night, I decided I should at least get rid of my summer flowers, and plant mums in their places.

Some of my summer plants were dead, while others still remained colorful, although somewhat fading. Either way, they all had to go to make room for the mums. I reached into the planter, dug deep, and yanked them all out by their roots. With the roots came dirt and soil. I shook off the excess, and threw away the summer plants. When I’d gotten rid of all signs of both dead plants and fading colorful ones, I made a hole in which to place the mums. I inserted the vibrant, yellow mums, and gathered soil around them so they could take root.

Outdoor fall decor achieved!

And as I uprooted and replanted, I thought about the work God is doing in me. He’s going deep, yanking out long-buried roots {even from those things which might appear beautiful, but in which He sees the fading}, removing the excess baggage, and making a place to do something new in me.

What has seemed good enough for a long while is no longer. The uprooting of old ways, old behaviors, old belief systems is somewhat painful. The shaking way of removing the excess is messy. But I’m trusting that the new with which God replaces the old is going to be beautiful and vibrant.