I spent an afternoon this last week, digging up lawn to make space for a vegetable garden. I'm at the beginning of this journey, but have learned a few things so far:
- It wasn't a very big patch of lawn, but I have a renewed respect for people whose daily work involves digging. And I totally get it when they feel the need to lean on their spades for a bit ...
- I've told you before that Richard Rohr says he asks God for "at least one good humiliation every day" - apparently it is good for you! Well, in that spirit I went to the garden shop to buy seeds and had to confess my complete ignorance about these things. The salesman kindly used small words when explaining gardening mysteries to me.
- We're about to spend a few days hiking together as a family, so I haven't planted the seeds yet (in case they get thirsty while we're away). But once the seeds go in, I'm expecting it to be a while before anything shows up above the ground - opportunities no doubt to learn about hope and patience in the coming weeks.
Plants are a great metaphor for life, aren't they? There are seasons where we are bearing fruit, but others where absolutely nothing seems to be happening. And yet even during those apparently dormant times God is working in us - we are growing underground - and fruitfulness would not be possible without those quiet seasons. What kind of season are you in right now?