cultivating and weeding

I was weeding in the front yard yesterday - some places where things have been left to do what they wish. I pulled everything green out of one bank except for a few sparse sprigs of creeping myrtle that were trying to survive underneath tons of weeds and crazy layers of vines of wild morning glories. God used the simple act of weeding to remind me that I have to be INTENTIONAL about dealing with sin and patterns in my life that lead me to places that are not for my good or His glory. Some of the weeds I pulled (the unwanted, uninvited plants that decided to make themselves at home) were the most stubborn, strong rooted things I've ever seen! Some of them had the root system of a small TREE - others, like the wild morning glories, were so entwined among everything that even though their roots may not have been so secure they were a nuisance to get rid of because they held so tightly to so many other things in the ground.
So I guess the connection to sin is pretty obvious but it was a good reminder to me that sometimes I don't pay enough attention to things that need to be rooted out of my heart, my life. Sometimes it's easier to just be comfortable and keep going the way things are - well... honestly it's ALWAYS easier to approach life this way!
I was challenged today by a video talk from the Catalyst Conference given by Francis Chan
One of the things that caused me to have tears was his statements concerning how we REALLY walk out the whole "love your neighbor like you love yourself" gold rule thing! I AM FAR TOO OKAY with worrying more about my own comfort than about how my life reflects this command of Jesus! I am far too okay with spending money on a new TV instead of giving money to those in need. That's just the tip of the iceberg.
My heart is pricked and my conscience is stirred. I want to BE DIFFERENT than I have been in the past.
I'm inviting God to change this part of my thinking/living - CHANGE ME!
Psalm 51:10 "Create in me a clean heart, Oh God, and renew a steadfast spirit in me."
The Message version puts it this way:
" God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life."
I want to weed out apathy, convenience, self-sufficiency - the list goes on; and in turn cultivate a fresh start of loving others in a way that goes beyond how I love my own life.