When I was a boy growing up we had several gardens around
our old house. The largest one of all was used just for growing potatoes.
I can still remember those potato planting days. The whole
family helped. After my Dad had tilled the soil, my Mom, brothers, and I went
to work. It was my job to drop the little seed potatoes in the rows while my
Mom dropped handfuls of fertilizer beside them. My brothers then covered them
all with the freshly turned earth.
For months afterward I would glance over at the garden while
I played outside and wonder what was going on underneath the ground. When the
harvest time came I was amazed at the huge size of the potatoes my Dad pulled
out of the soil. Those little seedlings had grown into bushels and bushels of
sweet sustenance.
They would be turned into meal after meal of baked potatoes,
mashed potatoes, fried potatoes, and my personal favorite: potatoes slowed
cooked in spaghetti sauce. They would keep the entire family well fed
throughout the whole year. It truly was a miracle to behold.
Thinking back on those special times makes me wonder how
many other seeds I have planted in this life that has grown unseen in the
hearts and minds of others. How many times has God used some little thing that
I said or did to grow something beautiful? How many times has Heaven used these
little seedlings to provide another’s soul with sweet sustenance?
Every single day of our lives we step out into the garden of
this world. Every single day we plant seeds that can grow into something
wonderful. We may never see the growth that comes from the kind words or loving
acts we share but God does.
I hope then that you always tend the garden around
you with care. I hope that you plant only goodness, peace, and compassion in
the lives of everyone you meet. I hope that every day you help miracles to
grow.
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