Sometimes the best part about gardening is not actually the physical activity of gardening or even the fruit of your labors, but the hope that lies ahead for the crop that is yet to come. I often find myself in front of the fireplace during the cold months of January and February looking through seed catalogues at different plant varieties and planning the Spring garden. The excitement and anticipation of next year's garden is always intoxicating to me. To be honest, the crops and their yields never live up to the goals and expectations and dreams that you see in your mind on those cold days, but it is fun dreaming about!
Growing plants, as James exhorts us in Scripture, requires us to have great patience. We realize when we put seeds in the ground, that things are beyond our control. Although we like to think that we are masters of our own destiny, gardening or farming can be a cruel teacher and can humble us quickly. Despite our best intentions and hard work, there are many variables - the timing and amount of rain, wind, heat or cold, bugs, disease, crop damage from animals, germination issues with seed, lack of vigor, etc. etc. The list goes on and on of things that can (and will) go wrong.
Here's a potato plant that is coming up from some of the seed potatoes we saved from our Spring crop.
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| Irish Potatoes |
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| Cabbage popping up |
Gardening and Farming can teach you many things and there are so many teachable moments while you are working in the garden. If you open your eyes and quiet your thoughts, there are lessons to be learned. Lessons about putting in the necessary work in order to enjoy benefits.
Carrots pushing their way through the soil...
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| One of several varieties of carrots sprouting |
There are lessons to be learned about being teachable and learning from those more knowledgeable than you, about trying new methods, rather than being stuck in a rut.
Young Swiss Chard with their red stalks already providing a visual feast on one of the rows.
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| Swiss chard seedlings |
There are lessons to be learned about timing. There is a time for everything. If you don't plant at the right time or harvest at the right time, all can be lost. Lots of the lessons learned in gardening can be carried over into life in general. I think that is why our Lord used so many agricultural analogies in the Bible.
Bull's Blood Beets marking the rows with tender leaves. I like to snack on them just walking down the rows.
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| Baby Bull's Blood Beets |
You learn to broaden your horizons, step out of your comfort zone and try new things. Several years ago I had never grown kale, chard or bok choy. Now those are staples in our garden.
Beautiful bok choy leaping up out of the ground.
Beautiful bok choy leaping up out of the ground.
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| Healthy Baby Bok Choy |
You learn to be a good steward of the land that God has placed you on and to care for it. You learn that you have that you've been given a great responsibility and that good things are worth working hard for and also worth waiting for. You learn to look forward to what lies ahead. You also learn that those weeds aren't going to pull themselves (smile)!
Bush beans turning their first true leaves to the sun...
Bush beans turning their first true leaves to the sun...
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| Green Beans |
Habakkuk 3:17-18New American Standard Bible (NASB)
17 Though the fig tree should not blossom
And there be no fruit on the vines,
Though the yield of the olive should fail
And the fields produce no food,
Though the flock should be cut off from the fold
And there be no cattle in the stalls,
18 Yet I will exult in the Lord,
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.
And there be no fruit on the vines,
Though the yield of the olive should fail
And the fields produce no food,
Though the flock should be cut off from the fold
And there be no cattle in the stalls,
18 Yet I will exult in the Lord,
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.
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