Summer, Sweet Peas, Marigolds, and More

As a child, I leaned against the outside of the back door of our small house in Virginia and listened for the odd sound that happened every summer day around noon. With the sun shining bright and the heat rising, a familiar sound was heard near the fence at the edge of the property. Our yard was filled with beautiful flowers planted by my parents. Yellow marigolds, orange zinnias, red impatiens plants, and numerous types of vegetables. Mama and Daddy taught me the names of the flowers they tended to each season. They showed me how to nurture each plant with tender loving care.
I loved learning about gardening. Dirt on my hands never bothered me. Worms and ants didn’t chase me away. Watching the creatures move in the dirt gave me giggles.

As a young girl of ten years old, I was prone to running barefoot across the yard and playing in the mud when rain came. Squishing wet dirt between my toes was fun. My elbows and knees were often dirty from playing outside from morning to night. Spring and summer filled the yard with beautiful colors and scents. One of my favorite flowers grew as a vine on the backyard fence. Every afternoon, I waited and listened for the sound of the sweet peas popping. These were not the sweet peas that we ate for dinner. These sweet peas were flowers of different colors that emerged when the heat rose and the seed pods popped open. Not a loud sound. A light popping when the pods were ready to burst forth with beautiful flowers and wonderful scents.
The air had to be free of any breeze and the temperature had to be warm enough for those pods to open and display the beauty inside.

Morning shade from a maple tree covered the vine until noon. As the shade moved and sunshine covered the vine, I ran to the fence and waited. Within minutes, the pods opened with a “pop” sound and a glorious fragrance emerged. Pink and purple flowers covered the fence. I moved from blossom to blossom taking in the wonderful scents. What a fun afternoon I enjoyed!

Mama hung the laundry on the outdoor clothesline while I played with the vines of sweet peas. We talked about the sweet peas and how to gather the seeds to plant in another spot of the yard. Next to the sweet peas on the fence was a row of cucumber plants waiting to grow and climb. Beside them was a row of tomato plants. There was always squash and potatoes planted, too. Fresh vegetables were served daily for lunch.
A plate filled with sliced tomatoes, cucumbers in vinegar, fried squash, and boiled potatoes made for a delicious meal.

Another section of the yard was for yellow and orange marigold plants. Mama and Daddy showed me how to take the seeds from the old marigolds and plant them in the ground. I planted, and waited patiently, checking each day to see if little sprigs of green would peek through the dirt. Excited when the plants grew and began bursting forth with yellow and orange, I could hardly wait to get my hands in the dirt again.

Each season offered opportunities to learn about the earth and God’s creations. Through my parents teaching me the love of gardening, I was able to appreciate each flower and vegetable. There are many valuable lessons to be learned in gardening. Whether planting flower seeds or vegetables, each item needs proper care. With our faith, we must be alert for opportunities to grow closer to God. Having an open heart and to be ready to share our faith is important. We have the ability to help others to develop or strengthen their relationship with God. My parents taught me how to take care of the plants we place in the ground. We needed good soil, water, sunshine, and tools to help establish and grow the plants.

Our faith needs tending, also. A firm foundation is needed. Like watering the plants, we need to give nourishment to our faith. Attending worship services in person or online, reading Scripture and studying the message of the Bible, listening to worship and praise music, sharing fellowship with others, and praying. Taking the time to go to God in prayer can bring peace, comfort, and a stronger relationship with the Lord.

With plants, we need healthy soil, proper moisture, plenty of sunshine and shade, the right amount of water and lots of tender care.
Special care is needed for growing our faith. Through sharing time with God, we grow closer to Him.

Have you shared your faith with others? How have you tended to your faith? Are you sharing time with the Lord each day? Take time right now and share conversation with Him.

Have a glorious and blessed day,
Melissa Henderson