I had tried to grow a garden when we lived in Florida, but our small back yard was very shaded and all I could grow were flowers, which I loved.
My excitement grew as I started the process of establishing a garden. My excitement waned as we did everything by hand since we didn't have a tiller to work the ground.
The first attempt was a sad one to say the least, not much grew to maturity. Plus, I got it in late so things began to die off before they really got started.
I guess I could have given up, but I was determined, and so I tried a fall garden. Once again, a fail.
The next spring I made another attempt. I bought more seeds as well as some seedlings. This time it did better.
The next spring my husband and I worked the compost from our compost pile into the ground as well. It was the most productive yet.
This past spring showed itself the best so far. I even had enough zucchini, leafy lettuce, and tomatoes to give away! Exciting to say the least.
Now that my husband and I have a few hens, we have great natural fertilizer that we worked into the beds a few months back, covered them with leaves and will be tilling them to form rows so the planting can begin in the next couple months. So I am beginning the thought process for this spring, and I am looking forward to seeing what happens (I have high expectations to say the least).
So why write about my simple little backyard gardening experience? As I think about the work that it takes to garden I think about how many people I hear say, "I don't have a green thumb. I can't get anything to grow."
Usually, if I pry a little, I find that they don't have the time, or that they don't take the time to "tend" the growing area. They forget to water. They don't weed. They do not watch for insects or disease. I would venture to make the statement that "they don't get their hands dirty".
You see, when I am in the midst of the gardening season, I am out in the morning checking on the garden, pulling weeds, watching for bugs and disease, etc. Are you seeing a pattern or at least a difference?
The point is that to have a green thumb, you have to have dirty hands.
This concept applies to other areas of life. Without thought, commitment, and hard work there will not be success and there will not be a harvest.
Parenting takes thought, commitment, and hard work.
A career takes thought, commitment, and hard work.
A life lived for Jesus Christ takes thought, commitment, and hard work (even though it is His thought, His commitment and His work that brings success and a harvest, we must still surrender our life to His will).
God wants to work through us. He wants us to get our hands dirty to build His Kingdom.
What does that look like?
First, we must have a personal relationship with Jesus (salvation), then we will find that we all fall under the same standards set forth in the Bible (loving God and loving others, Matthew 22:37, as well as other commands). Beyond that, what God's work looks like in each of us differs depending on what He has given us as far as abilities, talents, and gifts are concerned.
My abilities, talents, and gifts are different from yours but God will use each us to reach those He has placed around us. We can then depend on Him to give us the thoughts, commitment, and ability to do the hard work that is needed.
It is a privilege to "get our hands dirty" to build His Kingdom through our commitment to Him.
Psalm 37:5"Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it."
Proverbs 16:3 "Commit your work to the Lord and your plans will be established."
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