In The Garden
This summer was challenging for my garden. Besides the amount of rain, I was dealing with some physical limitations. But, oh, how I wanted to put that garden in. I didn’t want to even think about no tomatoes to can or sunflowers to pick. I could go without the beans, peppers, and other veggies, but I at least wanted those tomatoes and sunflowers.
It was apparent I couldn’t do it alone. And then, my 7-year-old grandson, Lincoln, offered to help. Yes, a partner! Together we did it. He did what I could not, and I did what he could not. We had fun. It wasn’t the best garden. It was dismal. The two things that flourished were the tomatoes and sunflowers; the exact things I desired.
Lincoln enjoyed checking the tomatoes every day and I enjoyed canning sauce and bruschetta and picking the sunflowers. None of it would have happened if I didn’t have a partner.
Stephanie reminded me of this on Sunday when she shared that having a partner moving at the same pace and towards the same goal makes things possible. It would have been easy to say, “Not this year. It is too hard.” The only way to fail is not to try. If I would have given up, I would not have even had the tomatoes and sunflowers.
As I contemplate Regen going “out” to the community and pointing people to Jesus, I realize I need to have a partner. This was brought to my attention during the Day of Prayer and then affirmed with Stephanie’s sermon. Having the partner experience with my garden, and enjoying not only the harvest, but also the time spent together, makes me more willing to partner with someone and do the hard stuff to further the kingdom.
Isn’t the kingdom of God like a garden? Together we till the soil, some plant the seed, some nurture it, and some enjoy the harvest. All the while we have Jesus with us AND the partner that he provides for us.
If you haven’t joined a B.L.E.S.S. group, I encourage you to do so. The authors of the book used in this study emphasize that “the Bible is crystal clear that we are far better together than we are alone.” Let’s partner up and get that garden growing!
-Terri
Terri Venetta lives in Johnston where she enjoys gardening, canning, antiques, watercolors, wool rug hooking, reading and, most of all, her grandchildren
