Unexpected Growth
I have never been much of a gardener. I do have a love of house plants and manage to keep them alive. But as for the outdoors, planters and flower beds have always been my thing. I have never been successful as a traditional “grow the food for the dinner table” person. In fact once my parents gave up hope of growing veggies in our backyard, I never took on the challenge again. That was in my late elementary years which was a very long time ago.
The covid season, however, got the best of me along with the empty veggie gardens in my backyard. They had been started and ended by my step-daughter before she headed off to collage a couple of years prior. Seeing them day after day, I just couldn’t let those beds sit empty as we stayed home in early 2020.
I put in a few plants and a handful of seeds. The year brought moderate success and minimal produce. I did learn that kale grows like a weed, so we got along well! I was greatly disappointed in the tomato production however. They all seem to rot before they got ripe. Never the less, in 2021 with my finger’s crossed, I brought home a variety of the fresh garden tomatoes and plopped them in the ground.
Despite a slow start, my hopes lingered and then faded. By middle of August, other than the kale, I had little to show for the season. Then something odd happened. In September the leaves and plants, although appearing to be suffering from the long summer of heat, started to produce some tomatoes. Just a few at first, but in time, each week I gathered more than the previous. The pepper plants joined in with numerous beautiful green peppers that shined as I plucked them off the branch.
It’s October now and off of the many branches that look absolutely dead, green tomatoes are turning red and becoming ripe. Peppers continue to grow on the droopy branches. As I harvest my mini crop, it occurs to me that sometimes that this is how life is for us.
I was reminded this morning of the following verse and how we may start out full of hope and potential and all ready to go. But then, a season of challenge leaves us drooping and dried and we cling to these words of Jesus:
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28:30
This is Jesus that tells us this. He is ready and waiting for us to come to Him. When we pray and go to Jesus, He produces the most beautiful fruit in our lives. Out of our feeling impossibly dead, He’s purpose comes to fruition and we shine, grow and feed those around us.
By allowing the Lord to fill us with His healing from past hurts and His strength for the battle today we are “casting our burdens on the Lord, and He will sustain us; the Lord will never permit the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 55:22
Worrying and waiting creates stress, while prayer gives peace. As we go through the challenges of life whatever they may be, we can pray the following:
Lord, grant me peace of mind and clarity that I may see and trust you as a god of your word so that I can experience your peace. In Jesus name, Amen.
JW/GL