“Gardening for God’s Beloved”
by Debbie Clark
In New England, Memorial Day weekend is garden-planting time! And so, on Sunday afternoon, when the sun finally came out, that’s what we did! Some of the “Gardening for God’s Beloved” crew from Edwards Church met at our plot in the Community Garden. We planted tomatoes, cucumbers, beets, peppers, squash, beans, marigolds and nasturtiums, and probably more I’ve forgotten. All the produce will go to A Place to Turn Food Pantry. It was fun. There’s nothing that beats getting muddy for a good cause!
As we stood back to admire the rows and clumps, I was reminded of why gardening is so often used as a metaphor for life.
Gardening requires planning–like the neat, orderly plot plan Rick created for us back in April. And it requires flexibility: Laura gave us a beautiful eggplant seedling, so we made room for it!
Good gardening draws upon the accumulated wisdom of those who have gone before us; I’d love to know who discovered that marigolds and nasturtiums help keep bugs away from the veggies. It also requires creativity, for every plot is different and every year is different.
Gardening demands consistency–regular weeding, periodic watering, day-to-day attentiveness and care. Gardening is exhilarating, a powerful reminder that every day we are invited to participate in the miracle of new creation. And gardening is humbling, for it brings home the truth that we cannot make those miracles happen on our own.
This particular gardening experience, for me, lifted up another truth about life. It is much richer when shared in community. The gifts each person brings are multiplied when they are shared. A chemist tested the soil. An engineer designed the plot plan. A church school class planted squash seeds. Our friends at River’s Edge donated a flat of plants. Some of us raked. Some planted. Some will water and weed and harvest.
The veggies the garden produces will provide nourishment to people in need. Along the way, the garden will enrich our lives and strengthen our community.
