Longing for a Frost

We've got new sod, a couple thousand square feet on the back edge of our back yard. An area that was formerly overgrown has been cleared, after much hard work. It's great to suddenly have more lawn!

The installers said that all I needed to do now is to water the sod. It needs water to establish a good root system. Once the first frost comes, the lawn will go dormant, and the success of this new sod next year will depend on how well it got established after installation.

It's a simple job, actually. I water one area for an hour or so, then move the sprinkler; the new part of the lawn requires four position for the sprinkler. After a couple months, though, I'm longing for that first frost, so that I can stop watering. My city water bill has more than doubled, and this 'simple job' is getting to be a chore.

It reminds me of Paul's advice to his young disciple, Timothy: "Stir up the gift that is within you." We followers of Jesus are called to continually work at our faith, to put down deep spiritual roots. At times, it seems like a chore, but everyone knows that one day a 'frost' will come, or a full-blown winter. We'd better have a strong root system established.