Clean as a Bean

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I can't do it.

I've tried and I've tried, but I simply can't think of what to write on our topic this week: clean. The hard truth is that I'm far more familiar with dirty. I did think of a pop song, though ... again! But I'm not going to tell you what it is, because I think it's time for another giveaway on our lovely little blog. So how about this? The first person who can guess the song I'm thinking of will receive a bottle of one of Jennis' favorite cleaners. Would you like a hint? I used to mishear one of the lyrics; I thought they were singing "clean as a bean." Good luck!


And while we're waiting for someone to guess, here's something I've been dying to share that has nothing to do with clean or dirty. Last Saturday was our stake's Relief Society conference and it was so inspiring. The theme was "Celestial Garden Shop" and all the classes - from dealing with depression, to teaching your children, to making your marriage more fun, to finding joy in motherhood - took some aspect of gardening to help illustrate the point of the class. The keynote speaker was my favorite, though. She shared seven "celestial gardening tips" and I loved how she tied it all together. Here were the tips and my notes about them:

1. Plant in season. Everything has it's season, and you can't have it all at once. Learn what season you're at in your life and plant accordingly.

2. Pick your seeds. A little like the first; you will only have space in your garden for a limited number of things. Don't try to plant more than you have room for. Also, don't plant carrot seeds and expect cucumbers.

3. Nourish your garden. Building a celestial life takes work. She quoted Lou Erickson: "Gardening requires lots of water - most of it in the form of perspiration."

4. Reap the harvest. Enjoy what you have, even if it doesn't seem like much. That tiny, funny-looking cucumber can be just as delicious! Feast on the scriptures and bask in the light and warmth of the Spirit.

5. Preserve the extra. The winters in our lives will come. It's wise to store up what we can spiritually to carry us through the dark and cold.

6. Seek guidance from the Master Gardener. I didn't need any notes on this one :)

7. Don't forget the value and importance of fertilizer. And what is the best fertilizer? Manure. Our trials can help us flower! I added a note about pruning, too, as she'd also related Hugh B. Brown's story of the Currant Bush.

Great, huh? As weak as I am as a gardener, I do so love all the life lessons you can relate to gardening!