The Seeds We Sow

Well, I have not kept you up to date with my garden. Oh there is so much to tell, but the most important thing to tell you is I encourage you to grow some veggies of your own to have that experience. This first planting season of mine went really well, but it was not without failure; failure teaches what we must do right next time and cannot be disregarded. I like a challenge and I must say, though failure is not something I long for, I know I grow from. The first fruit of my harvest was lettuce which I was able to eat in the early to mid summer time. I was surprised because it tasted just like.... LETTUCE. haha. You thought I was going to say something spectacular didn't you. Well, even though it tasted like store bought lettuce, it lasted 4x as long as store bought lettuce. I had so much lettuce in the fridge I didn't know what to do with it. We had plenty of fresh salads this summer enriched with fig infused balsamic vinegar from Dean and Deluca.

Then as the growing season continued, there were pole beans that flourished, and my herbs that just made my heart happy with their blossoming. My parsley smelled rich and I couldn't help myself but to add it to almost every meal I cooked. My basil grew just above my waistline and was robust. The rosemary leaked essence all throughout the yard and my lavender just began to mature. The grape tomatoes were the best tomatoes I have ever tasted (and no I am not being biased). The first bite of the tomatoes were a bit tangy, but quickly turned sweet like sugar in your mouth. Beefsteak tomatoes what? No More. I will wait till they are in season when the flavors are worth it. The chives have been a great additive to my eggs and turkey sausage in the morning and last but not least, beautiful bell peppers will soon turn yellow and be ready for the picking and eating.

This all did not come without failure, though. The first plants to go were my sunflowers (thank you Mr. Gofer). Then my summer squash and eggplant. Well actually my eggplant and summer squash did not thrive at all. There was in fact too much suffocation for them to even grow past a flower. The sweet peas didn't make it up the poles and the black raspberries were not planted with enough life left in them. I take these failures as a learning experience. Sure it's not having the entire garden and all your work come to perfect fruition, but I would not learn these valuable lessons without it.

I have been thinking of late the problem of perfectionism; my striving for perfectionism and afraid of failure, afraid to disappoint people, or look childish. This has surely affected my understanding of who God is. Truly, He never did ask me to be perfect; He in fact already had a solution to that problem (ahem, Jesus Christ). Has my desire to be perfect lead me to stray from listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit, and has it caused me to think only and not listen? I sadly say "yes" it has. Failure in the garden, in my garden has helped me grow and see this in me. It helps me question healthily where my allegiance is, in Christ or in the appearance of perfection. I grow. I sow. I succeed. I fail. And... I am Loved. By the most High + Amen.