The Outdoors ... But Not As We Know It!

Portmerion

The early part of 2014 saw us making the decision to try our hand at a spot of gardening, ordering a variety of seeds that we intended to plant at the appropriate time in a range of pots that could be found in the garden. 

‘Sowing season’ seemed to find itself in the midst of much busyness, and it could be said that our enthusiasm and attention to detail for this particular ‘outdoor activity’ was not on a level to produce any horticultural show first place rosettes!

With packets at the ready, two large prepared pots were brought into the house to make some Sweetcorn seeds warm and welcome.

Seeds in situ the days passed with watering taking place and bright sun aiding the gestation.

As the weeks rolled on, green shoots soon turned to small seedlings and then on to more established plants. 

One pot saw the realization of just one plant, and was duly transferred into the outdoors remaining in its same home.  The second pot had found itself giving birth to two very different plants, one very green and robust, the other looking as if it would not live to see another day!  As the more established plant remained in its container the weak and sad looking candidate very nearly found itself heading for the compost heap!

Rescued from its fate what seemed like a mansion, for this scrawny seedling to live in, was found and its roots embedded in some fresh soil.

So what happened as the weeks rolled into months? 

The plants began to establish themselves yet more, and slowly but surely it was becoming evident that ‘baby scrawn’ was becoming stronger and more fruitful than we could have ever imagined, even to the point of overtaking its ‘siblings’! In fact the only ‘fruit’ from our Sweetcorn sowing came from the very plant that at one point had looked like it could produce nothing.

 

Sitting in the sun and being overwhelmed by the progress that had been made we found ourselves relating what we saw to life.

Do we sometimes feel weak and inadequate; finding it hard to produce anything of purpose and character? All the good in us drained by, the confinement of circumstances and situations or the other ‘plants of life’ surrounding us, sapping us for their own benefit and promotion.

Could it be time to ‘replant’ ourselves into an environment, where the ‘soil’ of new thinking will feed, water and nurture the good in us;  the bigger ‘container’ inspiring us to try something new and different to gain confidence and strength, producing a life that has meaning and value?

Our minds reminded of the account of a story told by Jesus:

‘…The seed that fell on the fresh soil represents the person taking in and understanding the goodness of My words, and producing a harvest beyond all wildest dreams…’ (Matthew 13 v 23)