[00:00:13] Hello, I'm Skip Pogue, and I'd like to welcome you to Imagine the Possibilities.
[00:00:19] Grab your favorite beverage, take a deep breath and get settled in.
[00:00:24] I want to talk to you about some things I've been thinking about.
[00:00:30] A flower garden doesn't fade in a day.
[00:00:32] And our attitude, our outlook on life doesn't crumble instantly. It takes a while.
[00:00:42] This episode isn't just about time and how it slowly wears things down when we don't take care of them.
[00:00:50] It's about how love, caring and empathy can bring renewal not only to the things around us, but to ourselves.
[00:01:01] A beautiful flower garden doesn't die overnight. It fades when no one tends to it.
[00:01:08] The weeds don't ask permission.
[00:01:10] They just simply take over the open space.
[00:01:13] The soil hardens, the color drains.
[00:01:17] Before long, what was once full life becomes dull and quiet.
[00:01:23] We're a lot like that flower garden when we don't feel cared for, when love and attention are missing, we can kind of start fading, too.
[00:01:34] But not suddenly.
[00:01:36] Slowly, one unnoticed day at a time.
[00:01:41] The same thing happens inside of us when we stop tending to our own hearts.
[00:01:46] We let small worries or disappointments grow like weeds. And before we even realize it, they're taking root.
[00:01:56] Sometimes we need to take a moment and ask ourselves what part of life's garden might need a little tending, a little care right now?
[00:02:07] Maybe it's a friendship that's been forgotten, or a dream that we've set aside.
[00:02:14] Or simply our own sense of peace.
[00:02:19] Care doesn't have to be grand.
[00:02:22] Sometimes it's just about us showing up, listening instead of talking. Offering a kind word instead of judgment.
[00:02:31] Sometimes it's saying a quiet prayer or having a short talk with God about what's been weighing us down.
[00:02:39] And here's the thing. When we start caring again, even just a little, life responds.
[00:02:47] Just like a garden after the rain, color returns. Hope begins to bloom again.
[00:02:54] Maybe it's time we all take a look around and see what or who in our lives need a little tending to.
[00:03:02] Because love, even a small dose, has a way of bringing everything to life.
[00:03:10] A good pair of shoes doesn't wear out in a day.
[00:03:13] It happens step by step, mile by mile.
[00:03:17] It's not one long journey that wears them down.
[00:03:21] It's all the small ones.
[00:03:24] Our attitude and our patience work the same way.
[00:03:27] It's not one bad day that wears us down. It's. It's the slow buildup of life's tiny stresses. Those moments we ignore because we believe they're too small to matter.
[00:03:40] But over Time.
[00:03:42] Even a small pebble in our shoe can make the walk painful.
[00:03:48] Maybe you felt that. The way to small things. An offhand comment, a daily frustration, a habit you wish you could change.
[00:03:58] None of them alone feels big, but together they start to rub a blister on our soul.
[00:04:05] The good news is we can repair what's worn down.
[00:04:10] Just like a favored pair of shoes. Our spirit can be restored when we give it care.
[00:04:16] Every new step in the right direction, no matter how small, adds strength back to our journey.
[00:04:24] It's not about sprinting. It's about showing up each day with intention.
[00:04:30] Ask yourself, where in my life am I walking with worn out shoes?
[00:04:37] Maybe it's your patience, your faith, or your energy.
[00:04:41] What's one small thing you could do today to restore it?
[00:04:47] And maybe, just maybe, when you take that first intentional step, you'll realize that the road ahead isn't as hard as it looks.
[00:04:58] Because renewal doesn't happen in leaps and bounds. It happens step by step, day by day. One small act of care at a time.
[00:05:11] A strong house doesn't weaken in a day.
[00:05:14] It weakens from tiny cracks. We don't notice a loose board here, a small leak there. Things that seem harmless until one day they're not.
[00:05:25] That's how we weaken, too. Not from one big failure, but from things like resentment, comparison, guilt, and unspoken hurt that we allow to fester in our minds and hearts.
[00:05:40] It often starts small, but we let it grow until it begins to shape how we think and feel.
[00:05:48] The fix isn't always easy, but it is simple.
[00:05:53] Go back to the root and repair what's broken before it spreads.
[00:05:59] Think about the house you live in emotionally.
[00:06:02] Are there tiny cracks you've been ignoring?
[00:06:05] A misunderstanding? A bit of envy? A wound you haven't talked about?
[00:06:12] When we acknowledge those small fractures, we give healing a place to begin.
[00:06:17] It's not about tearing everything down. It's about repairing what's worth keeping.
[00:06:24] Just as a craftsman takes time to restore an old house, we restore ourselves with patience, honesty and love.
[00:06:33] And like that house, when we give attention to the foundation, everything else begins to stand stronger.
[00:06:42] Sometimes that repair begins with a simple prayer.
[00:06:47] Lord, show me the cracks we can't see and give me the courage to fix them with love.
[00:06:54] Thing is, once we've tended to our own walls, we we start to notice the path outside our door, the one we walk every day and share with others.
[00:07:07] A pristine path through the woods doesn't fill with litter overnight. It changes when we stop caring about who's going to walk. That Same path tomorrow.
[00:07:19] Every careless word, every unkind act, every. Every time we turn away instead of helping someone.
[00:07:27] That's like dropping a piece of trash on someone else's path.
[00:07:32] Who's walking behind you? A co worker? A child? A friend who looks up to you?
[00:07:39] What kind of path are you leaving for them?
[00:07:42] The good news is that kindness works the same way.
[00:07:46] Every gentle act, every word of encouragement, every.
[00:07:51] Every time we choose understanding over anger, it clears the trail a little more for the next traveler.
[00:07:59] Maybe that's what love really is. Leaving the path better for those who follow.
[00:08:05] And even when the trail looks overgrown, when life feels tangled with disappointment or worry, time and care can make it beautiful again.
[00:08:17] When we walk through the forest with God, he shows us that even the rough patches have purpose.
[00:08:24] They build endurance and appreciation for the clearings.
[00:08:30] And sometimes, when we reach the end of the trail, we find something unexpected. A stump, a remnant of what once was.
[00:08:40] Even a stump left behind by a fallen tree is at the end.
[00:08:45] It becomes a home for moths, for insects, maybe even for new life to grow around reminds us that even when something feels finished or broken, it can still serve a purpose.
[00:08:59] Life finds a way to grow again if we let it.
[00:09:05] Think about your life when something ended.
[00:09:08] A job, a friendship, a dream.
[00:09:12] At first, it may have felt like a loss.
[00:09:16] But what if, like that stump, it was really the beginning of something new?
[00:09:22] Renewal doesn't always announce itself with trumpets.
[00:09:26] Sometimes it's quiet. A new thought, a new opportunity.
[00:09:32] Or simply peace. Where pain once lived, God often plants new seed in old soil. We just have to give him a chance and room to work.
[00:09:46] The pattern is clear.
[00:09:48] Whether it's a garden, an old pair of shoes, a house, or even a stump.
[00:09:54] Things fall apart slowly, and they heal the same way.
[00:10:00] What matters most is that we keep showing up to tend them.
[00:10:06] All these moments share one truth. Things don't fall apart instantly, and they don't heal instantly. We live in a world that celebrates quick results and instant fixes.
[00:10:19] But the real transformation, the kind that last, take time.
[00:10:24] Healing takes patience. Growth takes nurturing.
[00:10:28] Renewal takes love.
[00:10:32] Maybe you've been trying to rush through something.
[00:10:34] A difficult emotion, a relationship where you've been hurt, or even a season of waiting.
[00:10:43] Maybe you're tired of saying, I should be past this by now.
[00:10:48] Let me tell you, you're not behind.
[00:10:51] You're just in the process.
[00:10:55] The same way it took time for the cracks to form or the weeds to grow.
[00:10:59] It's going to take time for the strength and beauty to return.
[00:11:05] But they will return.
[00:11:09] If you start your day with quiet, maybe a prayer, gratitude, or simply a moment to breathe, you give yourself permission to reconnect with what matters most.
[00:11:23] You invite God into the space where healing begins.
[00:11:28] It doesn't have to be perfect, just intentional.
[00:11:34] Maybe this means trading your morning news for a few verses, or journaling a short note about what you're grateful for.
[00:11:42] Maybe it's stepping outside, feeling the sun and whispering thank you for another day.
[00:11:51] Whatever it looks like, it's not about doing more. It's about being present in the small things that feed your soul.
[00:12:01] Ask yourself what one small act of care can I do today that moves me towards healing?
[00:12:10] Because every little act of love toward others or toward ourselves count.
[00:12:17] And when we understand that healing takes time, we begin to live with more grace for ourselves and for the people around us.
[00:12:30] Everything in life, from gardens to people, from paths to heart, takes time.
[00:12:38] Things break down slowly and they're repaired the same way.
[00:12:43] The secret is in avoiding the cracks or or pretending they don't exist. The secret is caring enough to keep tending to them.
[00:12:52] Wherever you are right now, whether you're rebuilding, resting, or just starting over, give yourself grace.
[00:13:01] You don't have to fix everything in a day. You just have to care enough to start.
[00:13:08] Because love, patience and faith always finds a way to bring life back.
[00:13:15] To bring it back like it should be, no matter how worn down it is.
[00:13:21] And remember, when it comes to healing, it's okay if it takes a while.
[00:13:29] I want to thank you for taking your time to listen to this podcast.
[00:13:33] It really does matter to me.
[00:13:36] If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and you know someone else you think it might help, I'd really appreciate it if you'd forward it to them.
[00:13:48] If you'd like to receive notifications when a new podcast comes out, go over to my Substack account. It's tplife, all one word.
[00:14:01] You can both subscribe, which will give you that notification, or just follow me over there. And all the podcasts I do are available on Substack.
[00:14:11] If you have a comment or suggestion, you can drop me an
[email protected] gmail.com Anyway, thanks again for listening.
[00:14:28] I wish you much success.
[00:14:30] Remember, your future belongs to you.
[00:14:33] Stay humble, be kind, love unconditionally, and laugh often.
[00:14:40] Oh, and the most important one, enjoy life to the fullest.
[00:14:46] And always remember, as we're working on ourselves, it's okay if it takes a while.
[00:14:56] I hope that you have a super day and I pray that God blesses you in a super way.
[00:15:03] Thanks again and God bless.
