On God and Gardening

Back in the Spring I planted a garden.  It was during a trying time of sickness for my youngest daughter and I think I needed a happy distraction or maybe I needed to feel the power and control to create life.  Either way, there was a part of me that thought it would be fun and a part of me that thought it would be an epic fail. Much to my surprise, we now have a garden to tend to. We have tomatoes galore, cucumbers and cantaloupe and some pretty flowers too. We just planted super tall sunflowers today and  boy oh boy are we excited.As my tween becomes a teen and walks in perfect health these days, my attention has been gently turned by the Holy Spirit to my youngest son David. He had a rough school year and no one was  happier to see summer than he.  It's tough being seven sometimes and I could sense he needed a bit more of my attention this summer but I wasn't sure what it would look like.  I have declared this summer, "The rebuilding of Dave." I want to breath life into him, see that smile and that wit come alive again as his body and soul take rest in the summer months. We all need that sometime.I invited him to read his bible with me in the mornings and then go tend to the garden. So every morning I take my coffee and Dave follows me and we head out to see what there is to see. We water, check for tomato worms and bunny bites and "changers" as Dave calls them. Changers are anything that grew over night. The excitement on his face is just priceless when last nights green tomato is now orange, or last nights orange tomato is now GONE!!!!! He is my mighty warrior who will pull and pull and pull a juicy green tomato worm until it gives up the battle and is plucked from the branch and squashed to smithereens!  (Gross little suckers.)  Then sometimes we sit and behold God's creation. He is deep beyond his years this one.  He will say things that blow me away and melt my heart. A few of our conversations this week have started like this:"Just take a deep breath Mom and look at all God has created for us! We are like His plants in His garden and He watches over us like we are watching ours."" I feel like a Changer mom! I grow over night too!""This is our "thing" together Mom! I Love you."I wonder if he knows the work I've put in behind the scenes. The  fertilizer and anti-fungal/insecticide sprays I have used and how I googled, "How to start a garden" and "What to do when your plants won't grow" or when, "they get blight or drought shock?"  also  "How to get rid of "bunnies".  Does he recall that no one else but me likes tomatoes or cucumbers.But, "It is our thing."My son is growing and laughing and thriving and that is what matters. This is my harvest.I love how life imitates life. I wish I could google "How to grow thriving christian children."  and get a simple answer. "Sow the  Holy Spirit early in the spring and watch the  Fruits of the Spirit sprout in 70-80 days!"Done!The truth is we encounter so many variables in gardening and parenting.  You know what you intended to do, what you thought you sowed, so you scratch your head and go back  to the drawing board, warding off hazardous enemies, pruning and feeding, watering and weeding, looking desperately for "Changers and growth".  If you have teens you may wonder what happen to the fruit you saw yesterday. It's gone now!!!! But God sees what you sowed and He will help you. You are not alone and you do not sow in vain.So much good has come out of tending the garden with my sweet baby boy. I am so blessed that he joins me every morning and we behold God's creation together growing  and learning as we go.Adam joins us from time to time. This morning he sat with us as a humming bird came and lingered by the marigolds. Dave and I were silently communicating our enthusiasm to each other with our eyes, not wanting to scare it away, not wanting the moment to fade."Humming birds are good luck ya know."  Adam said unimpressed.I think that's God telling us we are doing a good job Mom!"  David said."I think you are right Dave. I think He is." I said.We found a little spot to plant something new.  Pumpkins!  We can't wait for fall!   The harvest should be plentiful.

All things bright and beautiful,All creatures great and small,All things wise and wonderful,The Lord God made them all.Each little flower that opens,Each little bird that sings,He made their glowing colors,He made their tiny wings.The rich man in his castle,The poor man at his gate,God made them, high or lowly,And ordered their estate.The purple-headed mountain,The river running by,The sunset, and the morning,That brightens up the sky;The cold wind in the winter,The pleasant summer sun,The ripe fruits in the garden,He made them every one.The tall trees in the greenwood,The meadows where we play,The rushes by the water,We gather every day;--He gave us eyes to see them,And lips that we might tell,How great is God Almighty,Who has made all things well.Cecil Frances Alexander