Friday, May 28, 2010

Fruit




It's come.


The day I have been waiting for since late February: Fruit.


(Or veggies.)

Of course hard work is still required, but seeing the fruit makes ease of toil.


One of the things that was hard for me as a gardener this week was pruning.

The tomato branches had grown too heavy for their stakes and were slumping under their own weight.


My tomatoes and zucchini had grown so full and thick that the sun wasn't able to shine through, causing the under-leaves and young fruit to wither and rot.

This was especially true for the zucchini.


You see, growth is a good thing, but pruning makes the plant healthier-- more fruitful.

It was painful for me to cut out the limbs and leaves, and yet, I know that the benefits of such discipline will yield a greater crop.


I'm learning so much from my time in the garden. The fruit I gather this summer will not be limited to what I can pick and put on a plate.


I am harvesting fruit that no one will see, but will sustain me through the year. It will carry me through those cold, wintery months when the smell of the earth and the warm humid air will be a memory...and a longing.

I will remember to prune the branches of my days and weeks, so the Sun will shine clear down to the dirt and keep my roots from rotting.

I will remember that it's OK to cut out branches that look and seem life-giving, but are really weighing things down, causing the whole plant to bend with the weight...

Yes, the fruit of the garden has come...But my crop is far greater than the eye can see.

"So neither he who plants
nor he who waters is anything,
but only God who gives the growth."

1 Cor. 3:7 - ESV


11 comments:

Carpool Queen said...

What a delicious post - So much to chew on and great food for thought.

Unknown said...

Beautiful Garden.
Beautiful Message.
Coming from a beautiful person.

Jewel said...

I love it! The food looks delicious (I totally want to pick that strawberry). I also love the life lessons you're gleaning from your garden. It's so cool what we see when our eyes are open:) I'd never heard before about the roots rotting from lack of sunlight. Hmmm...good stuff Kellie:)

Gretchen said...

Delicious, indeed my friend. That garden of yours reminds me that He really did want us to have it all. And He still does. Love you.

Jen said...

Great lesson -- and a beautiful garden!

Sandy said...

Your garden looks great! If only we could recognize in the midst of God's pruning process that what He is doing is for our good & our growth!

Becca @ My Crazy Good Life said...

It's beautiful!!

I love the post, and am dying to try one of your tomatoes :)

Laura said...

Perfect post for me at this time. Really helped me thus the reason i have deactivated somethings in my life lately. Thank you thank you.

Got to have the sun shine through!

Elizabeth said...

Your garden is beautiful, and the lessons learned are too!

Jolanthe said...

Our plants are starting to flower and I'm getting excited! Time to get some cages for our tomatoes too!! :)

Such The Spot said...

So insightful, my friend. A much needed reminder to me.

Your garden looks so beautiful. You'll be able to go out and pick a salad in no time at all!