The Garden of Your Life

 

I can remember and recall the large garden my parents had growing up.  I believe this was legally required in Iowa and you could receive a fine if you did not try to grow corn!  Ironically, corn was the one crop that never quite seemed to produce as much as say the zucchini plant ~ which seemed to take God’s words about being fruitful and multiplying to heart.  It was as if the zucchini plant was the cheerleader to the other seeds saying, “Come on everyone, let’s grow!!”  I had enough zucchini growing up to last me a lifetime!  We also had green beans, tomatoes, pumpkin, squash, radishes, and beets ~ even though I tried to start a petition for my parents to not plant beets.  That effort was squelched when my parents reminded me the garden was not a democracy. 

 

Perhaps by now you are remembering the gardens of your childhood ~ the ones you helped your grandma tend or sugar peas you helped harvest or the nickel you got for pulling weeds. 

 

Gardening is the original profession and calling of God.  In Genesis 2:15 we are told that, “The Lord God took the human and put the being in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.”  We have soil in our souls, to tend the earth is in our very DNA and our holiest calling.  And while I do not grow any of the vegetables I eat, the metaphorical truth is that we are all still tending the garden called, “our life”.

 

What is growing in your soul this day?

If you had to draw a picture of garden plot of your life, what is there ~ according to your calendar and to do list?

What is flourishing and thriving in your garden?  This could be relationships, volunteering, prayer, connecting with creation, and your connection to our Creator.

Where does it look like there are weeds or is the garden overgrown with too much busyness or brokenness?

 

Take time today to get out colored pencils and paper to sketch the garden of your life.  Pay attention to other gardens that are nearby (friends and family) ~ because your garden is impacted by those around you.  Pay attention to how the garden of the world can encroach and take over the soil we are cultivating and curating with our still gardening God.  Pay attention to the soil in your soul and the earth where the soles of your feet touch and where the grass tickles your toes.  As always if you want to talk more about tending the garden of your soul, come and talk to me.  Blessings and love fellow green thumb-ers~