In the Garden

"You know those plants are loaded with strawberries," my son Greg pointed out after checking on our tiny  garden. What? I had no idea! Every time I'd looked at them, all I could see were leaves! Well, under the leaves were hidden fresh, juicy berries, which we happily collected.

"Shall I pull the onions?" I asked of my husband. The (dried out) bulbs we had planted rather late had yielded only a few green onions, which were getting too large now.  He agreed, so I tugged at the long, green stems and was surprised that the roots had the purple sheen of red onions! They should be delicious!

"Look! The potato plants are blooming!" I announced at seeing tiny blossoms on our thriving plants, the only thing that was growing  thick and vigorously.  I wondered why they had blossoms, and what that meant.  I was pretty sure  it wasn't time to dig them  up, but I looked up info on raising potatoes.

Sure enough, the article I read said many people think the buds are indicators of harvest time, but they are only making seeds to ensure future crops! Well, we didn't start ours from seed, only from seed potatoes, which we cut into sections, making sure there was an "eye" in each cube, from which a root sprouts.  I found out that when it is time to dig up the potatoes, the vines will dry out, turn brown and wither. 

I couldn't help but see spiritual lessons and draw comparisons from all this new life in the garden. The surprise of strawberries under the leaves and the purple of the onions pulled from the soil reminded me that we never know what is inside a person, beneath the veneer and public front we see on the outside. When we get to know them, we are often surprised by the talents, wisdom and abilities God has instilled in them.

As Christians, we need to produce and sow seeds of the gospel into our own and the next generation. Who knows when a root of understanding and belief will sprout as their "eye" is opened to the Truth?  How rewarding to see a "crop" of new "potatoes" for the Kingdom! Our generation will someday wither away, like the potato vine, having done our job, but our "seed" can go on until the Harvest!