Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for people. Colossians 3:23
Ian is a man who loves the out of doors and I am a woman whose family raised her on a country farm. He loves to till the soil and I love to watch things grow.
Thus, we have decided to have a vegetable garden in our back yard. Not just any garden, but a fairly good sized one. The soil is virgin, never having been tilled for gardening before….it will take a labor of love to get it ready to plant.
Ian explained to me prior to our marital agreement to have a garden that he cannot do this alone. I will have to step up and assist. He encouraged me to think about it before we cut ground.
Now, my experience is that Mama and Daddy tilled our family garden, planted the seeds, weeded, feed-ed and harvested the fruits (and vegetables) of their labors with we children being sent out to weed the garden only in an emergency or as punishment. “If you are not going to do your laundry, then go weed the garden” “If you have time to stay out on a date until midnight, then you have time to get up early and pick the beans before the sun gets up.” You know…those kinds of fatherly/motherly encouragements when you are young and impressionable.
And, dag gone it, Ian knew this gardening history of mine. So, he made me think about whether or not I really wanted one and whether or not I was going to pull my load in our gardening efforts. I think this came about when I began making the list for what we were going to grow….the longer the list grew, the longer grew our conversations about commitment and work ethic.
“Baby”, says Ian, “I will plant you whatever you want. I will till the whole back yard and help you ready it for the garden you desire. I will till it, I will prime it, I will plant rows so straight you will feel you are living in the Garden of Eden, but there is one thing you have to promise….”
I demurely and sweetly ask in my most southern lady-like drawl…”Pray tell, what is that Dearest?” All said while twirling my sweet little pink umbrella bought just for the purpose of resting on my veranda while watching his big, strong, muscular arms till my “Tara” yard.
“Baby”, says Ian, “You have to commit.”
“Oh Ian Honey, why I AM committed.” Says I
“No, baby….I mean you have to get off your pretty little bottom, put on your cute little pink gardening gloves and actually walk from the veranda a/k/a our deck and come h-e-l-p me prepare this garden. You will need to help me break dirt clods and set straight rows with string and water and fertilize and daily…daily weed our garden.” “Honey, can you commit to that?”
“Oh my”, says I…..”I may need to think about that, Ian.” “that’s NOT how my Daddy did it when I was growing up.” “Daddy did all that messy, manly stuff and he was glad to do it for us.”
“Well, darling…..I aint your Daddy.” Says Ian
“Hmmm….I can see that…” says I
“Think on it sweetheart and let me know. If you decide to commit, then you shall have your garden and I will be delighted to “help” you get it ready.”
Now, let me tell you, my mouth had been watering over the thought of ripe, juicy tomatoes and crisp, cold cucumbers since last summer when Ian promised a 2012 garden. I had images of yellow squash and onions and melons dancing in my head all winter long. But, never once did Ian mention the degree to which my own personal involvement was expected.
Oh my, what is a girl to do?
I thought, I pondered. I looked out my kitchen window imagining my back yard garden-less and then garden-full, and oh, the site was so much lovelier with it garden-full.
As tiny little tears stung my eyes, and sweetly rolled down my pink cheeks, I turned to this garden-monster of a man I married and asked him….”Sweetheart, didn’t you promise to love and care and nurture me forever and one day last May 14th and doesn’t that include growing our little garden?”
Unmoved by my tears (if you can even dare to imagine that), Ian said, “yes, Baby, I did….and, I will. You can even call your Daddy and Mama and ask them if need be….because I promised them I would care for you all the rest of the days of your life….care for you in such a way that when time came, you would be ready….” “I promised to love you, nurture you, protect you and love you as Christ loves his church.” “I promised that I would share life, share joys and share sorrows.” “I promised to be your help-meet” and that means not doing things for you, but doing things with you.” “So, baby, on this gardening adventure…are you in?” “Now’s the time you have to commit….the soil must be readied.”
Well, I was beginning to see that he was not going to let me sit on the veranda this gardening season…
Yes, yes, yes….I want the garden, I want those ripe, red tomatoes, those green crunchy cucumbers and those bold yellow squashes. My heart leaps at the thought of fresh picked scallions and bell green peppers and lovely fresh herbs.
“Okay”, says Ian….”then remember this….just as our life is a reflection of our commitment to God, our work in our garden is a reflection of our commitment to our family.” “It will be a testament to many things…our work ethic, our ability to envision our final crops and our desire to encourage one another and to work together.”
And, therefore, we need to work this family garden of life with all of our hearts….as if we are working for the Lord…
Because we are.
Blessings,
Lesa
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