How to BE a Good Crop

Markus and I have been married for 7 1/2 years and this summer marks our 5th year of gardening. I have fond memories of our first garden. I was very pregnant with our second daughter when we decided to plant a garden full of nothing but sweet corn. I had just gotten a pedicure to pamper my swollen feet but by that afternoon, I had those same feet dug in the soft dirt, walking the rows while planting seed. Markus laughed at me for putting my bare feet so deeply in the dirt after just getting my toes done. He has quickly learned that being barefoot in the garden is my absolute favorite part!

Our girls enjoy the gardening, as well. Especially Adah, who starts as early as cold and rainy days in February to ask if we can please start planting tomatoes! Yes, we’ve added much more than just sweet corn. 😉 We plant way more than we could ever eat alone, but love having all the extra to share with friends, family and neighbors.

As much as I absolutely love having our garden and reaping the benefits, I often marvel at the amount of sweat that has to be poured into it…literally! Now, let me just make sure I put it out there, most of that sweat comes from my husband. He is a strong, hard worker and does an awesome job keeping up the garden while I (Little Miss Puny No Muscles) do whatever I can to help. I appreciate the effort he puts forth on top of everything else he has on his plate— without his hard work, we wouldn’t have a garden at all.

A garden is significantly more than planting a seed and then waiting around for the harvest. If you plant a garden with that mentality, you are in for a rude awakening! A garden must be tended to, and that tending isn’t always easy.

There are weeds that creep up almost as soon as you pull them out. There are animals such as deer and rabbits that seem to think we planted a giant food plot just for them. There are pesky little bugs that will take over the plants if we don’t get rid of them. There’s the fact that outside work doesn’t come with air conditioning and there aren’t always nice little breezes blowing. There’s the fact that you are at the mercy of the weather— not enough rain, too much rain, or my favorite called just the right amount. There can even be physical fatigue or sore muscles mixed with a bit of sunburn and blisters and mosquito bites, oh my!

When the harvest comes, the work is most definitely not over. We have taken to canning, which is blessing throughout the year. However, there’s quite a bit of labor in the canning, too. It’s one thing to pick green beans (among other vegetables), but then there’s the time you have to spend breaking them. At times it seems as though the job is never done, but that’s almost forgettable when I’ve got a mouthful of fresh veggies!

No sir, having and maintaining a garden is no easy task, but a task well worth it. As children of God, we need to realize that our lives are much like a garden. With proper maintenance, we can keep the weeds out of our lives. We can keep away the pests and grow strong and tall. We can weather any storm and produce a healthy crop to share with those around us. It’s not always sunshine and roses, but it is necessary. We may get sore and wore out. We may get tired of dealing with the upkeep. We may feel like no one notices the effort. BUT when we stand before God we can rest assured that He has paid attention to every single detail.

I even pray over everything that’s planted in our garden and I continue to pray for a good harvest each time I’m taking care of it. I believe it’s important that we start praying over our Spiritual gardens, also, because that prayer (or daily tending) can be key to the outcome of our crop.

How is your garden looking? If you’d like us to grab a hoe and get at the weeds (pray for you), don’t hesitate to let us know. We are more than willing to get to work!

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
Galatians 6:9