How Can You Tell I'm New At This?

Okay, I know this isn't that complicated, but leave it to me to screw it up somehow! So this posting should really have the other title, "How Does Your Garden Grow?":)

Yesterday, I finished all of my flower bed/garden planting for the season. That is to say, whatever I've bought so far is in the ground. Technically I have no more dirt to put things into, so reluctantly, I'm done. Our yard is in the process of being developed, and more beds will be put in eventually, but for now I must be happy with what I have. I will have to restrain myself now from going into the garden centres for fear of finding another beautiful little life to nurture and cultivate and encourage to grow, blossom and bear fruit as the case may be. Gardening brings me such satisfaction. I have seen that with a little hard work and persistence, I can take something small and fragile and help it to realize it's full potential--in a few short months. And then there's more: I can enjoy 'the fruits of my labor'--the beautiful colors & designs, the aromas, the textures and the tastes --a feast for the senses.

Yes, it is a labor of love for me (not 'a love of labor', as some critics of gardeners will accuse!), but it's not always pretty. One of the hardest things for me is "pinching back" those plants just after you put them in the ground. That's right--that delicate new life that you have just given a permanent home to, pinch off the most beautiful part of it and throw that away! It's a painful, ugly part of the process of establishing roots and encouraging new, stronger growth. And I've done it enough now to know it really works! But then there's all those forces of nature that come into play. While the sun and the rain are absolutely necessary for growth, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. I must be diligent and help to maintain a healthy balance (thank the Lord, He takes care of most of it!) by supplementing where necessary and planting in just the right spot. And then there's those horrible summer storms that come along and seem determined to shred my plants to pieces, even rip them right out of the ground. Last summer, just as my gardens were 'taking off', we had a major hailstorm that nearly destroyed everything I had planted earlier. Amazingly, everything revived and in fact some plants grew back stronger than ever. And let's not forget about the nastiest enemies of all, insects and disease. Just when you thought all was going well and you were doing everything right, these guys sneak in undetected. Usually, by the time you notice that there's a problem, more damage has been done than is visible to the naked eye. Hopefully, you identify the problem quickly and treat it properly, or you may lose this battle. The health of neighboring plants is also in jeopardy--this enemy has no problem finding another host--eliminate it--squash it dead--at your first opportunity! And to keep this pest from coming back, put things in place to protect your vulnerable plants--sometimes as easy as something like "companion planting" (surround with plants that keep pests/disease away, or that host bigger, badder bugs!).

I could really go on and on. And in case you haven't noticed, Gardening is more to me than a hobby: It is a metaphor for Life. We all start out as seedlings, and depending on our life experience, we end up flourishing or floundering. I am grateful for the many caring gardeners in my life who have done their best to help me grow into the person I am today, and I am determined to care for my children and others who depend on me the same way.

Well, the sun is shining and my plants are looking thirsty, so I'd better get outside. Feels good to be needed sometimes, doesn't it?

For more reading on this subject, check out John 15:1-8.