Previous Challenge Entry (EDITOR'S CHOICE)
Topic: PUT YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD( 07/23/20)
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TITLE:
Ruins and Rubble | Writing Challenge By Stephen Kimball 07/30/20 |
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5th Place
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When searching for a home, one of the things I loved about my new neighborhood was that most of the yards were in pristine condition. The grass was green, hedges trimmed, nary a weed in the entire development. Shortly after moving in, I received the community newsletter and there it was, center page and adorned with a big juicy blue ribbon: “The Spring Yard and Garden Contestâ€. The advertisement piqued my interest. I’m not much of a horticulturist, but the previous owner the property was apparently a certified member of the local “Garden Lovers Club†and I was so excited about having a yard to show off I decided to jump in. Still a couple of months ahead of the contest, I had some pretty good ideas on how to spruce up the place even further.
“What do I have to lose?â€, I thought.
The foundation for my surprise victory had already been laid with the many tropical flowering bushes that were in place throughout. The yard is bordered by a brilliantly ornate violet Bougainvillea hedge but the mainstays are two aged Cypress trees that provide a towering canopy for the garden. The trees are surrounded by azalea bushes that I had been assured would be covered with blooms, come spring. The rear portion of the yard contained a pair of huge hibiscus bushes, specializing in hummingbird and butterfly attraction, that flanked a little open area where I could envision a serene place to sit and relax and enjoy my own backyard garden sanctuary.
I decided to enhance the area by laying down pavers, creating a pathway around the trees, in kind of a figure-eight design, that would lead back to the “gardenâ€. After clearing the area, I purchased the pavers and began the work, but it didn’t take long to recognize that I was in a bit over my head with this project. So, I hired a pro to help. The final touches came together just prior to the deadline and, all told, the cost was over four thousand dollars for this little “what do I have to lose†contest.
The day finally arrived and I was so excited to show off the yard to the judges. In fact, I wore my best sport coat so when they took the photo for the newsletter, I would look my best next to that blue ribbon. The judges were very complimentary and I could hardly wait for the results to be posted. But it was to my surprise the next day, when the winners were revealed, that after spending all that time, energy and money, I walked away with a sorry “honorable mentionâ€. Yes, my pride, as well as my wallet, had taken a hit but the whole experience served to remind me of an important spiritual truth.
In God’s economy, it matters not whether I place first or last in the beauty contest. Nor is it of any eternal consequence whether I have amassed great fortune or have no home to sleep in tonight. And just like those abandoned and empty monuments of long ago, in comparison to the life I am destined to enjoy with God in heaven, everything I accomplish, any glory I attain and any good fortune that comes my way in this world, all amounts to nothing more than ruins and rubble.
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