There is something magical and inspiring about gardening. I enjoy the process of gardening, but I still don't feel anywhere close to an expert. I have had a garden of some sort for 8 years now and have watched my mom and Grandma garden for my life time so far. Even with all that I have learned in that time, I still don't feel like a confident gardener. In future posts I will share more of our gardening experiences. What we find works, and what we learned to do differently. I'll share what we like to grow. What we do with our harvest and more. I've already shared some inexpensive gardening tips (here if you missed it).
Growing up I never pictured myself as a gardener. I didn't have that much interest in it. I have however come to love it. I love watching a seed transform into all that it's meant to be. Plant yourself some sunflower seeds and watch them grow and tower above you later in the season, you will see what I mean. It's incredible. Something that starts so small, can quickly grow to something so tall, strong and pretty.
Being able to grow your own food is also incredible. A salad straight from the garden tastes so much better than a store bought salad. When you have that connection to your food and the land around you, you will appreciate your food so much more. I'm convinced the food actually tastes better. You don't need a lot of space to grow your own food either. Give it a try, even a small pot of fresh herbs in your kitchen window. You may find yourself a new hobby, a hobby that gives back in the form of food for the body and soul.
I love to include my kids in garden. It's a great way for them to learn about where food comes from, what healthy eating looks like, learn the science behind it, understand disappointment, learn about taking care of something, being gentle, being patient, and it's truly amazing as an adult to watch their innocent wonder at the little miracles taking place before their eyes.
Lastly gardening always reminds me of how God takes care of us. How He gives us flowers, just for pleasure. How He provides food for us to eat. How He designed everything in nature to work together so amazingly. It's a reminder that if God is taking care of this, if He's taking care of the wildflowers that only last a season, He is absolutely going to take care of His children, all of the people He created.
Matthew 6:25-34 (MSG)
25-26 “If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.
27-29 “Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.
30-33 “If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
34 “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.
This is why I love gardening. It's good for the soul. It's like watching tiny miracles take place in front of your eyes. It's a reminder that the little things we worry about are often not a big deal. It's feeling the warmth of the sunshine and the loving care of our Creator.
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