Our Very First Garden

The Plan. Teacher mommy and little pilgrims billow with hope as they write out the plan for their first garden.The Place is not inviting. The curse is remembered "Cursed is the ground because of you; (Adam) through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food." Gen. 3:17-19They work in the hot sun preparing the soil. An hour later perseverance and exhaustion battle. Exhaustion leads to irritability. Children waver...mommy chooses the route of encouragement and praise. It works - Perseverance wins!The stones are removed for we are reminded of the parable of the sower. "Some seed fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly...but when the sun came up, the plants were scorched." Matt. 13:5. The seeds are measured and dropped into their nests and teacher mommy reminds the children, God says: "Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously." 2 Cor. 9:6

And so the pilgrims sow and sow and sow, for they desire an abundant harvest.
Hope is born in children's hearts. Lessons are taught as dirty hands dig and sweaty brows drip. Teacher mommy quotes one of her favorite verses: "Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." John 12:24 Children are reminded how they are like the seeds, someday they will produce many more seeds if they are willing to be used by God. Life is a garden. We plan, we toil, we sow, we die to self and we wait on God for the increase.

Waiting, Waiting, Waiting...

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Heb. 11:1

The rain comes and comes 7 straight days in Ohio, the sun does not shine and the seeds do not sprout. The seedlings are beaten down and weary. Will there be a harvest?

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Heb.11:6

Teacher mommy reminds children "you have sown generously now be patient - your reward is coming."


And then it happens, the sprouting of corn, the row of lettuce appears overnight, 10 green cherry tomatoes appear and the pinnacle - a ripe strawberry!

Persevere in faith, sweet Christian sister. Sow generously - Indeed rewards are coming.

Walk with the King!