Those raised beds are producing a harvest! With harvest comes other tasks - shelling, snapping, canning, freezing, drying, storing. I picked the peas last week and started shelling them. A slow process. But in the midst of peas rolling hither and yon, a revelation dawned on me. God has built into the whole growing season times of rest. You must sit down to shell peas or snap beans. Isn't that just like Him? Gardening is hard work and time consuming, and since God knew that it was going to be hard work, He built into the process times of sitting and resting. That thought gave me new opportunity to marvel at the wisdom of our Lord. He is so good!
Growing up in the home of two hardcore gardeners brought many summer days of harvest. We would sit in the shady backyard snapping bucket after bucket of beans, shelling peas, husking corn. Those buckets seemed never ending to me as a kid. But as I look back and think about it, those were times of conversation with Mom teaching us and listening to us. Rest in the midst of labor. This rest was full of value, both for body and spirit. God accomplishes much in our resting.
God has me looking for other built in times of rest in other chores or labors. I am watching for God's wisdom in the cycles of life and opportunities to use His wisdom and rest for eternity. Now my grandchildren are picking peas, and I am enjoying the pleasure through their precious eyes. Looking for times of conversation with them about Jesus and eternity. Looking for rest in the midst. Looking for Jesus in the midst. Are you looking? K.C.
