Garden Lessons: Control

There are many things our garden has taught us this year.  From the early days of trying to start the plants to the times of putting them out to the small harvest gleaned, we've gained knowledge.  However, the one thing that stands out to me right now about our garden is control.

My awesome husband put a sprinkler system in so that the garden would always have water.  That has worked really well.  It "rains" on our garden every other day for about 30 minutes early in the morning.  Has that helped our plants produce?  Do we have an overflowing abundant crop of tomatoes?  Are the squash coming out our ears?  Are we leaving corn on everyone's porch?  Are we selling our peppers to the local restaurants?  I don't think so.

Our part of the country is gripped in a massive heat wave.  It is oppressive.  The temperatures are in excess of 100 degrees early in the day and continue that way through the night.  It is tiresome.  The grass is dry and crispy so that our dog can hardly walk on it.  It is severe.  We eagerly look to the skies for some indication that there might be some rain.  It is relentless.  It hurts us.  It hurts our garden.

So, even with the sprinkler system running regularly, the garden shows the stress of being in the drought and heat.  Grasshoppers have decimated the corn.  Squash bugs are on everything.  Potato bugs are on the eggplant.  There aren't any bugs on the hot pepper plants, nor are there many peppers.  Honeybees are rare visitors to our garden.

Ultimately, it has shown me that even when I think I can control things, I cannot.  I still HAVE to rely on God for the increase.  I can do my part to till the earth (prepare my heart), to plant the seed (read His Word), to water the plants (read His Word and pray), and to care for the plants (watch my tongue, etc) but the increase comes from Him.  I can be doing everything right but still not have a good harvest.

(Father God, I thank you for the harvest that has come.  It is an abundant bounty from you but may seem small in the eyes of the world.  Lord, it is more than we had and that makes it abundant.  I pray for relief from this gripping heat.  Thank you.  In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.)