In Eden, God landscaped a garden
Perfect in every way
For the humans coming to live there.
Crops and fruit and every good thing
Just waiting for their pleasure.

But the man and the woman, not satisfied,
Wanted more.
They took what was not theirs to take
And God shut them out
Of the perfect garden

I wonder what happened to Eden.
Does God tend it still?
Or lacking the ones it was made for,
Did God let it grow up to weeds?
Or in anger destroy it altogether?

Or perhaps James got it right
In the first chapter of his book.
Now God practices landscaping skills
In the soil of our hearts
And our weed patch becomes a garden.

No longer perfect,
No longer effortless
God tills the soil
God landscapes the garden
And I weed and water.

Useful plants grow in the
Garden of my heart -
Compassion, gentleness, peace-making
Patience, joy, and above all, love.

At least that's the landscaper's plan.