It’s true that there are countless connections and applications that can be made between our spiritual lives and the theme of growth, nurture, food, nourishment and life. That’s why I’m documenting here the successes, failures and most importantly, the progress of our gardening endeavor this spring.

We are no strangers to gardening. We had one every year when we lived in Tennessee. We are thrilled to be back in the South again and undertake this family adventure. It’s been four years since we planted our own garden, but here’s to hoping it’s just like riding a bike; you never forget!

This year, as part of our science study, we are taking on the challenge of sprouting our own seeds and letting them germinate indoors. I hope to update the progress here a few times each month.

So far we have:

• studied up on our new zone by looking here
• consulted this to make sure plants we hope to grow will thrive in our climate/soil
• we have purchased seeds, starter trays and potting mix
• made a master calendar to plan out when we need to have plants ready to go into the ground
• formulated a marketing plan for the three little moguls who live here and hope to have a neighborhood garden stand by the early part of summer
• started our first seeds (carrots, bell peppers, zinnias)

There are about a thousand ways this can fail. There are so many variables that are out of our control. What we can do is plan and prepare; we can pray and we can plant.

This makes me feel like Ma and Pa Ingalls on so many levels. Remember all of the planning Pa had to do? Remember Ma threshing the wheat with all of the neighboring ladies? It may be 2015, but in my heart, it’s a Walnut Grove winter and spring is coming. If only I could’ve traded eggs at the mercantile for my garden seeds!

We can see to it that we follow directions and best practices and we can (hopefully) enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of our labor. It’s early in the season. We have weeks of letting seeds germinate, we have last frosts to wait out and we have soil to prepare outdoors.

“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” {Proverbs 16:9}

I love that our garden is a family affair. We are all involved in the planning, in the dirty work and we will all enjoy the bounty when it’s ready for picking. I can already taste the fried squash and the yummy stuffed zucchini.

*****

Are you planning your garden this year? What are you growing? I pray the Lord uses our garden as a means to speak the reminders of his truth into my soul. God’s word is so full of metaphors and examples of agriculture as it relates to the heart work God longs to do in us. I anticipate making many, many connections.

“Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.” {Hosea 10:12}