Lessons from a Garden 4

Lesson 4: Plant Flowers

We don’t usually link flowers with men. That is probably because flowers are associated with beauty and attractiveness, which is why my wife is in charge of the flower garden. That is not to say that I am uninterested. It was I who had to dig out all the old ground cover and spread and mix new topsoil into the garden. But she had the final say as to what flowers to purchase, and it was a joint decision as to how these were arranged in the garden. Flowers add color to our front yard and create curb appeal. They make our property more attractive and inspire admiration. Our yard would definitely be less inviting if we did not have flowers.

Where are the “flowers” in your life? By that I mean, what is it about your life that is attractive? And I don’t mean just your physical appearance, although that, too, can be attractive. But there are others things that can attract people to one another. Things that we do—smiling, offering a friendly handshake, assisting a neighbour, volunteering at a church. Things that we say—words of encouragement, giving praise, complimenting your spouse. Your life as a Christian can attract people to the Lord if you strive to be like Jesus in all you do and say.

Matthew 5:16

…let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Lessons from a Garden

Lesson 3: Preparing the Ground

We decided what to plant and where, but we couldn't just scatter the seeds on the ground. Nor could we just dig holes and put the bulbs in. We first had to prepare the ground for planting. For the backyard vegetable garden this meant removing several large, flat patio-type stones and levelling parts of the ground. For the front yard flower garden this mean digging up a lot of ground cover that was choking up everything else. On both sites the ground had to be broken up and made workable. We also added ten bags of topsoil to the sites.

Sometimes in our eagerness to witness for Jesus we forget to prepare the soil before we plant the seeds. By that I mean that sometimes Christians begin to testify about their faith to people who are not yet ready to listen or who don't even know the vocabulary that the Christian is using. Before we can begin to plant the seeds of faith in the lives of others we first have to build trust and let the other person see that we are real and that we care for him or her. We may have to remove obstacles to faith such a negative conceptions and a judgmental attitude. We may have to create more level ground between "us and them." We have to add something to our relationships before we can plant those seeds.

2 Corinthians 9:6

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

Lessons in a Garden 2

Lesson 2: Bloom Where You're Planted

Once my wife and I had decided what we wanted to grow, the next big decision was where. There were already two flower beds of sorts at the front of our house (we had just recently moved here) so we thought it best to utalize these rather than dig up our lawn. The bulbs in the fall and plants in the spring would go at the front of the house. The backyard had a few scraggy plants in one corner that seemed out of place. This would be our vegetable garden. We tansplanted a bush to the front of the house and two prennuals to one of the flower beds. The bulbs, bushes, and vegetables had no say in where they were put. Their responsibility was simply to bloom where they were planted.

While we often have choices in life, sometimes there are circumstances that restrict or eliminate choice. An illness may force us to retire early. It is not our choice. The company we work for closes and we are forced to look for work elsewhere. It is not our choise. A flood destroys our neighborhood and we are forced to relocate. It is not our choice. Our spouce dies and we are forced to make decesions about our future. Somtimes we are uprooted. Sometimes we are like plants growing in rocky soil, struggling to make a living. In situations beyond our control, we have to learn to trust God completely and to bloom where circumstances have planted us.

Philippians 4:12-13

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Lessons from a Garden 1

Lesson 1: Deciding What to Plant

Today we begin a series of lessons I gleaned from the backyard vegetable garden and the front yard flower garden that my wife, and I planted. I figure that the flower garden is hers, but the vegetable garden is mine, but she might argue with that. Our first task was to decide what to plant. Way back in the fall Shirley said she wanted tulips and crocuses coming up in the spring, so it was off to the store to purchase bulbs. With cold weather approaching and snow falling in some parts of the country we buried bulbs in anticipation for spring that was six months away. I said I wanted to plant vegetables in the backyard and dreamt of carrots, turnips, tomatoes, and perhaps potatoes. But I would have to wait until spring to make my selection and begin planting. The spring would also reveal whether the bulbs we sowed would grow.

An old gospel song says,
"Seeds now we are sowing, and fruit they must bear,
For blessing or cursing, for joy or despair;
Though we may forget them, the things of the past
Will work out God's sentence upon us at last."

God has given us the power to decide what "seeds" we want to plant in our life. These can be seeds of bitterness, hatred, resentment and the like, or they can be seeds of thankfulness, love, forgiveness and joy. The choice is ours, so let us examine our lives daily and decide well, what we want growing in our lives.

Galatians 6:7-8
A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

Lessons from a Shed 22

Lesson 22: Help Someone Else Build a Shed

We've come to the last Shed lesson: help someone else build a shed. It is true that building one shed does not make a person an expert in shed building. However, experience counts for something. At the very least I can point out some of the mistakes I made along the way so that my fellow shed-builder won't make the same ones. And at best I can pitch in and lend a hand. After all I now know how to use a table saw, a mitre saw, and a power drill, not to mention my hammer and handsaw. Helping others gives as much satisfaction as building your own shed.

Christianity has always been a religion of "others." It is about helping others, encouraging others, carrying the burdens of others. William and Catherine Booth, the founders of The Salvation Army, dedicated their whole adult lives to helping the poor and marginalized in society. Mother Theresa, a Roman Catholic nun, was world-renowned for her work with the downtrodden of India. Jesus, our Saviour, said, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). As followers of Christ, let us help others build a better life for themselves in His name.

John 13:15

I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

Lessons from a Shed 21

Lesson 21: There Are Different Kinds of Sheds

After building my shed, I began to notice other people's sheds more. I saw that some people built bigger sheds than mine, and some people built smaller sheds. Some were built from scratch and some were built from kits with all the lumber pre-cut. There were garden sheds and tool sheds, wooden sheds and plastic sheds. There were sheds with shingles and sheds covered with tin. There were sheds with gambrel roofs and sheds with gable roofs. There were hardly two sheds alike. I was tempted to compare my shed with others' sheds, but I quickly realized that this would be a big mistake. I was happy with my shed. It may not be the best, but it is mine. It serves my purposes. I will therefore enjoy my shed without comparing it to others.

One of the most destructive things we can do is compare our lives with the lives of others. Every person is different. Some become presidents, some become plumbers. Some become doctors, some become dancers. Some people become famous, others live in relative obscurity. The careers we pursue or the jobs we do are not nearly as important as what we are as human beings. The important thing is first to be all that God intends you to be, then to do all that you are capable of doing with the talents and gifts that are uniquely yours. Always work to improve yourself, but never compare yourself to others. Enjoy your life, the life that God has given you.

John 21: 17, 21, 22

Jesus said (to Peter), “Feed my sheep.

When Peter saw him (John), he asked, “Lord, what about him?”

Jesus answered, “...what is that to you? You must follow me.”

Lessons from a Shed 20

Lesson 20: Enjoy Your Creation

The Bible says that God created the heavens and the earth and everything in them in six days (whether literally or figuratively it doesn't matter). God then looked at what He had made and declared it to be "very good." And then God rested from His work of creation. God did not rest because He was tired; He rested to enjoy His creation.

Now that I have finished my shed, I sometimes sit on my back deck and admire my creation. I say to my wife, "That's not a bad looking shed."

And she says, "It's a good shed, Fred."

And I say, "Yes, that's exactly what it is. It's a Fred Shed."

And we both laugh.

Christians, of all people, should appreciate and enjoy God's creative work. This includes both the world around us and God's work within us. Artists and poets are probably closest to appreciating the beauty of God's creation. Farmers and those who work with wild things - fishermen, hunters, ranchers, and naturalists - also appreciate God's creation. People whose work is helping others probably appreciate God's design in humanity more than anyone - doctors, nurses, teachers, clergy, and humanitarians. In addition to appreciating the Creation, let us also give thanks to the Creator.

Revelation 4:11
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”