So, we've been working on our garden and so far everything has grown beyond our expectations--until today. We were hit with an extended storm that was too much for our babies. Our stakes and string could not support the 6foot-plus tomato plants, and so most of them fell over. Now, being an optimist let me state:
1) The plants grew way taller than expected.
In this regard we did it right.
2) Since the plants fell over, we harvested an impressive early crop.
We left a lot more on the plants until we decide what to do.
At the same time, all is not well in the garden.
1)I have to figure out what to do with
these nearly crippled tomato plants and fast.
2)Trapped under the tomatoes are a couple pepper plants and some herbs.
Hopefully they will be salvageable.
3)This happened because I underestimated the plants.
If they had been caged or
fenced we'd be in good shape and all the plants
probably would have grown like crazy from the rain.
So, what did we learn from all this?
1)When it comes to gardening--plan plan plan. We actually did a lot of this but we did not
2)Expect big things. Because I was sheepish in this regard, I wasn't prepared. We should always be ready for the best possible scenario.
Now as a theologian, I would be remiss not to connect this garden catastrophe to the spiritual life.
What is true in the garden is true with God. Those who are spiritually inclined know all about planting seeds and tending and waiting for growth. A lot of times, people start out fast and then as soon as the storm comes they wither because the appropriate support isn't in place. This is my first connection. Sounds like thttp://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=5109135718941244358he parable of the sower, eh? (Matt 13:3-23; Mk 4:2-20; Lk 8:4-15 ish)
Secondly, my expectations with the garden were low and then I was taken by surprise and then I wasn't prepared for the abundant growth. As a result, I'll probably lose the bulk of the tomatoes and possibly several other plants. Today, the thought of miracles seems quaint. I've seen so many awful things in my life that the idea of a massive religious encounter seems impossible. It may be that those miracles do exist, but they begin as seeds. We plant them-maybe. We tend them-sometimes. We see our expectations exceeded-rarely. So, miracles may be happening all the time, but we don't let them grow.
So, if you take nothing else, expect and be ready for great things.
