Last week we finally got our garden planted. For those who live in Indiana, where I always planted in early May, this may seem a little late to be planting a garden. But here in Mexico, I've been told that the growing season actually goes into October, possibly November, so we're really not too late. I was getting antsy back in May, however, and by June, I wondered if we would really have a garden this year.
What were we waiting for? A tractor! The ground where the garden was to go needed to be plowed so we had to wait for a neighbor (There aren't many tractors around here!) to come and "move the earth" for us. Because this is a new garden, Mark also ran the newly fixed tiller over it to break up the clods of dirt even more. Victor and Mark bought plants and seeds, and we thought we were ready to plant. The next day though, we suffered the effects of Hurricane Alex, and it rained all day!
By last Friday, the ground was ready. Mark had decided he wanted to try making raised beds for the garden. I was thrilled because I know that makes gardening easier, but harder for those making the beds! We also thought that the kids would be able to see easier where to walk safely in the garden, and we could use our space more effectively. With lots of helping hands, all the planting was finished by Friday evening. There were lots of dirty hands, but huge smiles as Victor would make the holes and the kids would put the seeds or plants in the holes. Fidel followed Mark and John as they shoveled to make the raised beds. He would break up the dirt and smooth it out with a rake. He seems to be a very serious farmer. After the plants were in the ground, the kids helped give them all water to help them grow. By the end of the day, we had created 26 raised beds with a multitude of vegetables planted.
I was reminded of the seeds being planted in not only the ground, but in the hearts and minds of the kids helping that day. I remembered reading with Josiah in school about seeds, and how before a seed can grow into a plant, it must first die. They are "reborn" just as we are when we give our lives to Christ. We must first die to our old selves, and be reborn into new life with Christ in us. That way we can produce a great harvest for the kingdom of God (It's kind of neat how everything around us points us right back to our Heavenly Father!). We will pray that the seeds planted that day in the ground, and in the hearts of the kids, will grow and produce a great harvest. I can't wait to see what God does with His garden!
"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." John 12:24
What were we waiting for? A tractor! The ground where the garden was to go needed to be plowed so we had to wait for a neighbor (There aren't many tractors around here!) to come and "move the earth" for us. Because this is a new garden, Mark also ran the newly fixed tiller over it to break up the clods of dirt even more. Victor and Mark bought plants and seeds, and we thought we were ready to plant. The next day though, we suffered the effects of Hurricane Alex, and it rained all day!
By last Friday, the ground was ready. Mark had decided he wanted to try making raised beds for the garden. I was thrilled because I know that makes gardening easier, but harder for those making the beds! We also thought that the kids would be able to see easier where to walk safely in the garden, and we could use our space more effectively. With lots of helping hands, all the planting was finished by Friday evening. There were lots of dirty hands, but huge smiles as Victor would make the holes and the kids would put the seeds or plants in the holes. Fidel followed Mark and John as they shoveled to make the raised beds. He would break up the dirt and smooth it out with a rake. He seems to be a very serious farmer. After the plants were in the ground, the kids helped give them all water to help them grow. By the end of the day, we had created 26 raised beds with a multitude of vegetables planted.
I was reminded of the seeds being planted in not only the ground, but in the hearts and minds of the kids helping that day. I remembered reading with Josiah in school about seeds, and how before a seed can grow into a plant, it must first die. They are "reborn" just as we are when we give our lives to Christ. We must first die to our old selves, and be reborn into new life with Christ in us. That way we can produce a great harvest for the kingdom of God (It's kind of neat how everything around us points us right back to our Heavenly Father!). We will pray that the seeds planted that day in the ground, and in the hearts of the kids, will grow and produce a great harvest. I can't wait to see what God does with His garden!
"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." John 12:24
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