The "Kudzu" of our Minds

Isn't it wonderful when things just link together nicely?! In the post before this one, Melinda Jensen raised the issue of sex in Christian fiction and very bravely and beautifully looked at the interaction between the words we read and our minds. 

And wouldn't you know it, the very thing that I was led to talk on in this post was our minds.

Some of you may have heard of a plant called "Kudzu?" For those who haven't, here's the Wikipedia description of it,

They are climbing, coiling, and trailing perennial vines ... Where these plants are naturalized, they can be invasive and are considered noxious weeds. The plant climbs over trees or shrubs and grows so rapidly that it kills them by heavy shading.[3] The plant is edible, but often sprayed with herbicides.[3]

If you have a moment, I recommend you go and google Kudzu, to see for yourself the insidious nature of the plant.

The imagery is quite frightening; vast expanses of land, huge trees, even entire houses, completely smothered by the ivy-like vines. 

This plant was introduced in the late 1800s as a good thing; an ornamental plant that could be used for land management, food for stock and even basket making, among other things. But, left unchecked, it rages out of control, and takes over everything in its path. 

As I read about the Kudzu and gazed on the images, something within my spirit was quickened; immediately I thought of our minds, and how quickly thoughts can be planted, and in no time at all completely smother our minds, our thinking, our ability to think rationally or with clarity.

Now I must point out, I'm not actually talking about sex...although yes,that is one very obvious one that can take hold, (and why I do agree that it should be very carefully handled in Christian fiction, if indeed included at all...again, I refer you to the discussion in the previous blog). But there are so many different thoughts or patterns that can be rooted in our minds, and some of them are actually good to begin with. It is when we start to let those thoughts or patterns take control of our mind that they lose their beauty or usefulness, and become noxious, robbing us of so many other good things. 

So what are some examples of these noxious mind-weeds? Here are three examples that I came up with:

• Particularity - it's great to aim for a high standard in life; the Bible says we should do everything as if it was asked by God directly. But when particularity is allowed to grow into excessive proportions, our sense of peace can be completely overshadowed as it grows into the noxious weed of Perfectionism. Instead of pleasing God, the source of our inspiration, we start seeking other people's approval, perhaps out of fear of not being good enough, or perhaps out of a driving need to be the very best compared to others.

• Pride - being proud of one's achievements is a good thing! We should be cheering ourselves on, sometimes louder than anyone else! But, if we allow our thoughts of self to get too big for their britches, pride can become a smothering Arrogance. We begin to do what we do for the accolades of others, perhaps because that is where we receive our self-worth. These thoughts will soon smother any sense of humility, and can be our undoing.
  

• Prudence - being cautious and careful is an honorable quality, and shows wisdom. What happens though, when we begin to feel overly cautious? Or we become so well-planned that we are unable to allow room for spontaneity or, dare I say it, a Holy Spirit prompting to do something contrary to our plans?! If the seed of prudence is planted and allowed to grow without constraint in our minds, it becomes Rigidity. This is possibly the most dangerous of the three things listed here, as it can completely obscure our purpose, our passion and our fervor for life, and for God.

I could list many noxious weeds that have, by the love and grace of Jesus Christ, been uprooted from my own mind; I have many to still be removed. It's not easy; sometimes it's painful, even a little shameful. But oh, the freedom that I have experienced as I allow the Holy Spirit to convict and then get to work!

And my sincere prayer, as I write this blog, is that someone reading this will be gently, compassionately, lovingly convicted, so they, too, would allow our loving and glorious Father to start digging up the Kudzu of their mind, that they might be all they were created to be!

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Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 NLT

That Sad Old 'RE' Word

I’d been through 6 weeks of it and managed very well, even if I say so myself. Six weeks spent mostly in bed, unable to do much except RE-lax, RE-ad and be RE-stored. I see you’ve been smart enough to notice there were three words starting with the letters ‘RE” in the previous sentence! You are very observant. I would even guess that you are a Writer. Am I right?

RE-laxing was great! RE-ading was wonderful! Being RE-stored was brilliant! I was deeply content. But then ….came one little hitch. Another ‘RE’ word came into my line of vision. That ‘RE’ word was not as RE-freshing or RE-storative as the other ‘RE’ words. Any guesses as to what it was? It’s one most of us writers are well versed in, having experienced it time and time again.

Yes, the word is RE-jection. Ah! Does it ring any bells?

After the Euphoria of my wonderfully RE-laxing 6 weeks came a week of RE-jection. My book, my baby, my life… was tossed out like a precious, beautifully wrapped gift that was thrown away even before it was opened. My latest book, one I’d worked very hard on for months on end – burning the midnight oil – hoping it would win a competition – didn’t make it after all. I had been sure that God had use of it out there in the big wide world. But – no – there was one winner and that winner wasn’t me!

REJECTION! In my book, RE-jection often equals DEJECTION! It makes me place my tail between my legs and slink away into a corner to brood deeply and to shed a few tears. I confess that I’ve had a number of rejections as a writer. Every single time it hurt. Ouch! Each time it felt like the end of the world – well not quite the end of the world…. .but you know what I am talking about, don’t you?

Over the past few weeks, I have been looking at that ‘RE’ word a bit more closely. And I found something interesting. Viewed through God’s eyes it looks a bit different. It is not painted in dark black letters anymore. Instead, it’s like a prism - displaying to my heart a myriad beautiful colours. Because of course, everything through God lenses are much much much brighter. And so much more beautiful.

Firstly, the RE-jection of my books is not about me. It feels it is. But isn’t. It is about my writing. And I can do something about that. I can strive to improve. Secondly, if God is leading me on – this RE-jection I face is part of His plan for me. If being in God’s will is the most important thing in my life, (and I believe it is) then – even a RE-jection can be viewed differently. Not a sad occurrence after all. But one that together with all else, works things out for my good.

Thirdly, every RE-jection teaches me something new. It helps me RE-focus. My latest RE-jection helped me RE-think my plans for 2013. I am now excited about the change of plans and the direction this year’s sun-dial is pointing.

Finally and most importantly – any guesses as to who faced the biggest rejection of all? Yes, of course! Jesus Himself. As we celebrate the most important event in the Christian calendar this week, we cannot help but be amazed at His sacrifice for us. He came to His own and His own received Him not. He came to share God’s love and what did we do? We hung Him on a cross.

If his RE-jection and death ended in an amazing RE-surrection, bringing RE-newal and RE-storation of all things – perhaps there is a lesson you and I can learn? Perhaps RE-jection is not such a sad little word at all?

Perhaps it will bring me hope, humility and the best way forward?

Here’s wishing all of us writers only the good kinds of ‘RE’ words. Words like RE-newal, RE-storation, RE-building, RE-st and RE-laxation! Words like the RE-jections that He plans for our lives – so we might be truly RE-juvenated! We could perhaps Re-word that RE-jection so both our Writing and our Lives RE-bound to the glory of our RE-deemer!



Anusha delights in many things – life, the love of Jesus, people, the beauty of God’s Creation. She writes mostly for pleasure. Her first book 'Enjoying the Journey' is a book of 75 God thoughts and lessons learnt through every day life. She has decided never to grow old in spite of a body that is already defying her intentions! She enjoys the finer things of life including friendship and chocolate!

Singing, walking, connecting with people and sharing God’s love are her some of her deepest passions. Like her writing, she is a work in progress! Please drop in to say Hello to her at her website Dancing in the Rain at http://anusha-atukorala.webnode.com/