I was channel surfing the other night and I came across one of those commercials that advertise old country and western songs. I used to listen to those songs faithfully years back and knew most of the ones being sung on the commercial. One song in particular, "I Never Promised You a Rose Garden," which I believe was sung by Lynn Anderson caused me to think a little. I've heard the song hundreds of times, but never actually thought about the title. Just what is a rose garden?

I know roses, and they are a beautiful flower, many peoples favorite flower, but what do you have to do to have a rose garden. Besides it looking nice and smelling even nicer, I believe it would take a lot of care. I'm sure there are different kinds of roses, some that survive better in different areas and in different soil. More than anything I believe a rose garden would take a lot of attention and time to get the best results. You would have to select the right roses for your soil, plant them, water them, feed them, spray them and tend to them. To have a beautiful rose garden would take time and effort.

It's a strange illustration, but the same is true with our lives. Many things happen in our lives as we live them day by day. Some things happen automatically, while others happen accidently. Other things take effort on our part. That's the way it is not only in our lives, but in our churches, our communities, our local and federal governments, and in our country as a whole. In order to make it grow and blossom as it should it's going to take some effort on our part. We can't just let it go on its own, it will die.

The seed is good, the soil is right, the history of good growth is on our side, but if we are to maintain and have the continued good life we have come to expect, then it is going to take effort on our part at the local levels, in our communities, schools, and churches, and on the state and federal levels with our leaders in government. America never promised us "A Rose Garden," just the opportunity to plant roses and give them the care and effort to bloom properly. Are you willing to do your part? Are you ready to help Willacy County, your church, your school, the state of Texas, and the US of A bloom again?