Function over Form

Function over form. This is a statement I have lived by for good, bad and ugly. The image I've shared is my attempt at a raised garden bed.

I've talked about Seasons and we all have different seasons and seasons we are operating in. I was blessed with an image from God on a growing a garden. This is my 2nd year. No where did He tell me instructions. While my father was an engineer, he was the least mechanically inclined engineer I've ever encountered. What that means is I didn't learn to fish, tie knots, put up tents, and build things. So when God showed me a vision of a garden, I said "Okay, let's do this!".

As I said, this is my 2nd year so I had to fortify. Got some different brackets and added new layers of organic soil. This is the tomato bed. Next to it is the zucchini and next to that is a blackberry type bush and strawberries.

Irrigation system, yep that pvc layout is me doing me...function over form. One hose - pvc to each bed with holes drilled. All I have to do is turn faucet on. For me, I'm happy. I will tell you that I didn't do that last year. I tried to add to the irrigation to the one bed last year, but that was tough with existing zucchini and tomato growth.

Rubik's cube. Growing up that was one of the 'hot' rages. I sucked at it. Nothing fun as I had no clue. As many others, I peeled off the labels and affixed them accordingly to show that I solved. Did I feel good? NOPE, but also didn't touch the darn thing again.

In life, home, and work, we have images of how life, love, and work should go. Unfortunately, not reality if we try to meet that image. Similarly, peeling labels to go where they belong vs. how it should work, is not a good way to go. The first part of my life I can tell you that I never listened to God and did what I did. For the most part it worked out. Then, thankfully, God had other plans.

In my mind, never did I imagine a picture of my life where since 2015 I would be laid off 3 times and be gifted the life of unemployment for months. Function over form is still in play. God took the opportunity to remind me that we all have functions that do not always equal form.

For me and many of us, our current season is that of sowing and waiting for the fruit to bear. I have to remind myself to not just take the stickers and move them to show success or land a job to land a job. I am learning to listen to Him and be the best of me I can. Be in the season you are in, and make it functional not worrying about the form.

Let's keep it real, authentic and just know we all have a role for a different reasons and seasons. If struggling, we are here for you. If you are enjoying your best days, we are here for you. Success is a funny word with many definitions. When the fruit bears, and I did it right, then life is good.