My garden has come along and produced some fruit for me. Although, I have learned some lessons from it this year.
If you remember, Tyler really didn't want me to do one this year mainly because he didn't want to work at getting the soil ready, plant, and then it all die because I am not the best gardener. I was determined though, and set out to find a closer spot to the house and a smaller one. I attempted to use some concrete borders we already had to make a raised bed. He helped me get the soil in it and weed killer. Then I planted.
I had six plants (squash, cucumbers, zucchini, peppers and 2 tomato plants).
Well I had a couple squash sprout then some cucumber. And I had one pepper spring forth.
But then the tomato plants grew and grew. Along with some type of bugs, the tomato plants killed off the other plants! I am getting 2-3 tomatoes a week from the massive things. Pretty much every green limb you see stems fro the 2 tomato plants. I still have some pepper buds but everything else has died off.
{notice, too, that my concrete borders are pitiful now}
This is the brown remains of the squash and cucumber plants.
So I have learned lessons this year. Not just physical gardening lessons but spiritual ones, too.
1. The garden was too small or I was trying to fit too much in. (I am wondering why I planted 2 tomato plants since I am the only one that eats them......?)
2. Stake, Stake, Stake!!
3. Need some type of bug killer
4. Weed preventer and wet newspaper work great! (that was my biggest problem last year)
5. Space things out better
Now spiritually, I can't help but notice how these lessons can apply.
1. How often do we try to fit too much into one day or our schedules. For me, I tend to half do things and forget the important aspects cause I have so much I want to do or have planned.
2. We all need support; God, Jesus, Holy Spirit and great family and friends are the best support. I often think I can do everything on my own and then get overwhelmed and accomplish very little.
3. Bugs = Satan in my gardening parable. Satan so often kills every lead we make in trying to serve Christ because we let him. Tyler and I frequently talk about how we feel attacked just when we are trying to focus on being a better Christian.
4. Pertaining to #3, we need to prevent and prepare for those attacks Satan uses. Reading the word; focusing on listening and praying to God; "weeding" out the unimportant events we fill our lives with; taking steps of faith instead of hiding in fear.........These are all ways to be one step ahead of Satan and be walking with God instead.
5. Space things out better---that is an understatement for me. I want everything done now, just so I can plan something to do next week. When in reality, God wants us to worry about today only. I need to be conscience of how much I am trying to fit into my daily life.
Jesus says, "I am the true vine, My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me and I in him, bears much fruit. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit." John 15:1-2, 5, 8
I want to bear fruit, not be taken away. Pruning is ok, we all need it. I have already been pruning at myself. The lessons God has taught me (as stated above) have helped me to inventory whether or not I am bearing fruit. Some things in my inventory do nothing to bear fruit for God's kingdom. I aim to weed those out so that the branches I do have that have potential to bear fruit can produce.
So, Got fruit??
