Steers, Hay, and Gardens

As the youngest of five, I knew well what it meant to fatten a steer, haul hay, and work in a garden.  These were not attempts to win trophies or ribbons at stock shows and such; they were necessities.

Still, I resented these things that seemed like intrusions upon my time.  While others were enjoying leisurely summer mornings, I was getting up before daylight, stumbling to the garden half-asleep, harvesting the crop of the day, and going back to the house to prepare and freeze it.

Thank you, Father and Mother, for these times.  I say this sincerely.

One of my greatest spiritual revelations came when, as an adult, I was visiting the farm on a “bean-picking” day.  As we approached the garden, I saw some gorgeous plants!  So big and full of leaves – I just knew they would have tons of beans as well!  When I actually got down to “picking” the beans, though, I was amazed.  The biggest and most beautiful of the plants had very few, if any, beans; but the scrawny plants were literally bent over under the weight of all the beans they had produced.

And it hit me.

He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.  Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’"

Luke 13:6,7 NKJV

It doesn’t matter how many leaves or blooms you can muster, or how tall or full you grow.  What matters is the fruit.

Peace.

Davina