The Kitchen Table: Planning Your Garden

I live in the city of Philadelphia in a traditional row home. My backyard is what many call “a postage stamp,” meaning it is small. Philadelphia has the largest city park in the USA. Unless you have been here to see it for yourself, it is really hard to describe, but it runs all through the city and it is something to behold. But it has its downside too—for one, a bunch of squirrels. I mean squirrels like you’ve never seen before and there is a city ordinance that you cannot kill them. They are a big problem. If they get into your attic you end up paying an exterminator big bucks to set traps and take them to the park and set them free. They love to bite into your tomatoes even though they don’t like them, they will still bite into every one on the vine…errrrr. Another downside to the park is many neighborhoods are being pledged with raccoons and opossums. The city has nothing setup to help get rid of these critters and the past 5 years, we’re seeing more and more of them. They too eat in your gardens. So, a person like me finds it hard to have a vegetable garden because I’m in a neighborhood that has lots of trees and critters out of their natural elements looking for food. And at times I find myself a little envious of others as they talk about starting to prepare and plan for their gardens.

But you know there is one garden we should all work on no matter where we live. It is the garden of our lives as Believers. The Bible tells us that whatever spiritual seeds we plant (sow) in this world is the spiritual harvest we will reap or receive. Works the same as in the natural. If you plant tomatoes, then tomatoes are what you get. You don’t plant lettuce seeds and get grapefruits….impossible. So, just as we plan our natural gardens each year, we should be as diligent in making sure we have planted good things in our spiritual ones.

Natural gardens don’t take care of themselves anymore than our spiritual ones. A natural garden has to be planted, watered, weeded, fed, pruned, protected and harvested at the right time. Our spiritual gardens of love, kindness, generosity, hospitality, helps, friendship, and selflessness must also be planted (sowed), watered, weeded, fed, pruned and protected too. The spiritual harvest is continual and a result of the seeds we have been sowing.

To care for a natural garden there are several key tools one needs to ensure a good harvest of the things planted. Same thing applies for the spiritual realm in the gardens of our hearts and actions. Our essential tools are Faith, our Bibles and Prayer.

Faith (trust) helps us to continue to love and be kind to others even when they a not kind to us. It keeps us in obedience with the things of God even when it seems like it is a waste of time or it’s just not working. With our faith we continue to be able to sow good seeds no matter what.

Our Bibles feed and water us. The spoken Word of God keeps us full of Him and refreshes our weary souls. When we are feeling used up and parched it will revive, refresh and water the dryness our spirits might feel. It helps us not to give in to the temptation to repay evil-for-evil and therefore sow bad seeds that will affect our harvests. It also helps us to protect our heats and weeds out that which is not good.

Prayer gives opportunity to talk to the One who has all control. Prayer is where we can lay the hurts and pains of life at the Cross. It is the place to ask for forgiveness (when we mess up) and receive help to forgive those who have hurt and used us. Prayer helps keep our love walk in check. And it’s also a time to hear from our Father to see what He has to say about our garden and how it looks to Him.

When planting a garden decisions have to be made, “What are we going to plant this year?” Some people plant many different items, others only one or two. But since the Word of God tells us that “Love covers a multitude of sins” I would have to say spiritually, maybe we should focus on sowing as many seeds of love as we can and let the other things follow. ~Smile~

Sisters, spring is around the corner and many of you are thinking about planting gardens, I want to challenge you to also think about your spiritual gardens. What type of seeds have you been sowing lately? Is it time to rearrange things in your lives so you look more like what God wants you to be? If you are not sure—reach for your Bible, you will find the answer there for sure.