It‘s gardening prep time here in the southeast valley of
Arizona. While much of North America slumbers beneath
mountains of snow and shivers in frigid temperatures, I will be on my knees in
short sleeves, scooping up dry weathered leaves and loading a truck with bags
of compost from a nearby organic farm.
For me, there’s no better feeling.
And from what I see, I am not alone. Gardening is the fastest growing hobby in the
U.S. Could it be that our humanity hungers
for reminders of the Creator around us?
Even in urban living, city parks beckon. Community gardens are erected and roof tops
of apartment buildings are adorned with vegetation and flowers. Plant and floral arrangements are added to the interior of stark office buildings. It would seem that when we are
deprived of garden, we create it. Might
there be a part of gardening that returns us to the original garden -Eden - where
we lost our way?
Every day we are enslaved by routines that keep us attached to “devices”
rather than living organisms. Certainly automation
and technology make our world richer, but we cannot deny our longing for
something more personal - an opportunity to participate in the miracle and beauty of creation. It's part of us because we are part of Him and made in His image.
Gardening also offers a healing effect upon our earthly
vessels. Studies have shown that it can
lower blood pressure, increase brain activity and produce feelings of well
being. As we take in the invigorating outside
air and scoop the life giving soil into our hands, something happens. Life erupts not only from the tended garden
plot but also from within us.
Rudyard Kipling said, “Adam was a gardener and God, who made
him, sees that half of all good gardening is done upon our knees.” This
posture of humility cultivates more than plants and flowers. It’s a picture of our dependency upon a Savior
who gave us eternal life, a life that we, alone, are incapable of producing despite our efforts.
We are all products of seed sowing. At some point, through God's providence, someone or something spoke
truth into our lives. It fell upon good
soil and eventually bore fruit.
I hold this picture in my mind when I see the miracle of a seedling pushing through the garden dirt, bringing forth new life.
I hold this picture in my mind when I see the miracle of a seedling pushing through the garden dirt, bringing forth new life.
Hi Barbara! I am so excited to meet you. I am Dorothy Jean's cousin in Colorado. She called me tonight and shared about your conversation and passed on your blogspot. I've signed up by email and I look forward to reading your posts. Jeralyn
ReplyDeletehttp://jottingsbyjeri.blogspot.com/
Lots to think on between you saying, "...when we are deprived of garden, we create it" and Kipling saying, "Adam was a gardener and God, who made him, sees that half of all good gardening is done upon our knees." There is most certainly more to gardening than food and flowers. The work itself says something about how we're made. I'm enjoying our snow for now, but your post here does get me thinking on the lovely gardening days to come my way this spring!
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