Gardener's Tools

It's Sunday morning. Time for my Bread of Life tidbit for the soul. Birds are chirping brightly outside and for some odd reason, I am awake. I was almost giddy to tippy-toe outside this morning and get an early morn' glimpse of my new baby plants sticking their heads out of the earth. It has been an interesting journey so far getting the soil ready, finding the right seeds, nurturing, watering and yes...even praying. My son Face has taken a particular interest in the garden project. His sweet bedtime prayers always including a blessing on the little baby plants. His faith shames mine sometimes, and I am reminded that once again, the faith of a child is what the Lord asks of me.

To our joy, the seeds have began to show some progress. Even the corn is showing promise.

Friday, a special package arrived in the mail from my beloved father and master gardener.
I wish he could have seen the joy and awe in the face of his grandson. My Father's tools, not new, but well kept and received with much appreciation. Awe was the right word. Face was almost speechless. Then he didn't stop talking about them for six hours. "Grandpa's tools" and then several hours later "My tools". How symbolic.

A newspaper article once hailed my dad as "The Pansy Man". I've mentioned this before. It wasn't until we found out how incredibly strong pansies are that my dad really appreciated that title. I remember spending many an hour at his knee tending to the garden and enjoying, in it's season, the fruits of our labors. It was a slow process for a child to see. Now as an adult, I see a totally different perspective. I see a wonderful chance to teach as Christ taught. Christ gave us tools as well. Some Master Gardener's tools being His Spirit, Scriptures, prayer, good works...and most of all Love. Are these the tools I use everyday with awe and joy? Are they "my tools"?

In Luke Chapter 8:
"A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear... And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?...

Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience." (Luke 8:5-15)

Given that parable...gardening has taken on a whole new dimension. Not just the wonder of seeing new life where none existed before, but the whole process of nurturing the seed and seeing it gets all it needs.

There you go.