In a previous post, I shared how Jill and I tackled our weed-filled flower bed, taking it all the way down to the dirt. We did this in order to create a clean slate from which to rebuild and regrow.

Well, I did it again to a different flower bed this weekend. Very satisfying, although I ruined a perfect hunting ground for the little Garter snake that lives there. Hopefully he’ll forgive me.

But I have been thinking about the significance of this for the past few days, and how it applies to our lives. In our bedroom we have a framed quote which Jill made. It says ‘Stop watering the weeds in your life and start watering the flowers.’

How much of our precious time do we devote to meaningless, trivial, or otherwise pointless aspects of our lives. You know, stupid stuff like getting mad at the inconsiderate driver or indulging the family member who thrives on gossip and drama. So many weeds. And yet we water them constantly.

And what of the flowers? What about those things we hold most dear—are we giving them the attention, the sunlight, the water, the nutrients, that they deserve? Or are we hoping for the best that things will just ‘turn out’?

The other night I was in the kitchen cleaning some baking sheets and noticed they had a lot of residue buildup in the corners. It was really baked in there. Nothing toxic or potentially life-threatening. Just ugly and gross. Somehow it had survived numerous washings.

So I broke out the steel wool and cranked up the elbow grease. And just like sharpening a knife, I removed a microscopic layer of metal—along with the grimy filth. So sparkly and fresh. I could smell the flavor of the metal. Like when you put a penny in your mouth as a kid.

What are some things you could take some steel wool to in your life?

Maybe it is time to take your life down to the metal.