Footstep Residue

I have a pet peeve.
I dislike grass clippings.
I should not complain because I am not the one cutting the grass.
In fact I have never cut the grass.

My sons have cut the grass.
My older daughters have cut the grass.
In fact I think that as they each approached driving age, riding the lawn tractor was fun.
My youngest daughter is like me; she has absolutely no desire to ride the lawn tractor.

I tend to my plants.
I weed the garden.
I will do other outside jobs; however cutting the grass is not one of them.
Thank goodness, my husband never asked me to do that job.

Consequently, I try not to complain about the grass clippings.
I really have no room to complain.
But seeing them on the lawn, over the freshly cut grass, bothers me.
I always secretly hope that a strong wind will blow them all away.

My husband bought a mulching blade for the tractor.
With a mulching blade the grass is not chopped once, but many times.
It pulverizes the clippings so they can fall back into the grass inconspicuously.
You don’t have to dispose of the clippings and it provides organic matter to the soil.

It works in theory but is more effective with a mulching mower.
A mulching mower has the sides enclosed so it repeats the cutting on the cut grass.
The only thing is our mower does have a discharge chute.
When the grass is really thick, after a few days of rain, all those clippings are discharged.

When the children were small, grass clipping came into the house constantly.
Shoes came off and were placed on the back stairs.
They brought a little bit of the outside in, albeit not the best part of the outside.
Grass clippings, muddy footprints, and salt from the snow all ended up on the floor.

There is no denying where anyone has been walking when the floor tells the story.
Each step leaves a tell tale mark behind.
There is a residue that lingers.
What was clean is now dirty.

When I was a little girl, I always managed to step in gum.
Usually it was pink, Bazooka bubble gum that someone tossed away.
My sneaker just seemed to find that pink glob of gum every time.
I can remember my mother taking off my shoe and scraping the gum with a knife.

I can still see that long stringy mess, on the hot asphalt.
I would take my sneaker off and try to pull it away from the gum.
A long pink line of sticky gum would not release its grip on my shoe.
The gum held on to my shoe as if it owned me.

Were you watching where you were walking? My mother would ask.
That was hard to do when there were so many wonderful things to look at and admire.
I guess not, I would lamely say in response.
The knife, the scraping, the shoe returned, the lingering smell of Bazooka bubble gum.

My sneaker just seemed to find the gum.
My children’s sneakers just seemed to find the mud.
My husband’s shoes just seemed to find the grass clippings.
All of our footsteps left their mark.

I remember reading something about footsteps.
Your child will follow your footsteps, even the ones you thought you covered up.
All the things we think we are hiding leave telltale signs behind.
Our footsteps are undeniable; they show where we have been.

Your statutes are wonderful; therefore I obey them. The unfolding of Your words give light; it gives understanding to the simple. I open my mouth and pant, longing for Your commands. Turn to me and have mercy on me, as You always do to those who love Your name. Direct my footsteps according to Your word; let no sin rule over me. Redeem me from the oppression of men, that I may obey Your precepts. Make Your face shine upon Your servant and teach me Your decrees. Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for Your law is not obeyed.
(Psalm 119:129-136)

Direct my footsteps according to Your word.
Those are the footsteps we want our children to follow.
The worldly footsteps we take every day will leave their mark everywhere we walk.
It is obvious where we have been.

The Godly footsteps we leave behind become an example, a testimony of our journey.
Godly footsteps are a map that points the way to God.
There is intentionality to each step.
Godly footsteps have a Heavenly trajectory.

And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them. (Mark 6:11)

Worldly dust should be shaken off our feet.
The world will appear enticing and much easier than what God expects of us in His Word.
The residue of worldly dust will leave undesirable footsteps.
There is a better way.

Were you watching where you were walking?
My mother’s question was appropriate.
Are we watching?
Are we aware that people are following us whether we know it or not?

Our footsteps can lead them to God.
Our footsteps can lead them away from God.
One type of residue is worldly.
One type of residue is eternal.

Watch where you are walking.
You are being followed.