Monday, April 7, 2008

The New Life of Gardens

So, how do I say this? Eric and I have been attending two churches. I've been feeling some guilt about it. Since our Pastor left at New Years, it just hasn't been the same with the interim pastor. I don't get much out of his sermons. Luckily, I have been riding on a spiritual high from serving on the Team of my recent Via de Cristo weekend (see also Great Banquet, Emmaeus Walk, or Crucillo) and all the team meetings were quite inspirational prior to the actual weekend, which is a huge spiritual refilling. Anyway... Originally, when we got married, our in-laws church, was between pastors too, which prompted us to find our church. Anyway, now we love their new pastor too (ok it's been 4 years) and in the new year we've been doing about half and half at our church and at the Fam's church.
I'm so glad we ended up there this Sunday too, because the Children's Sermon was the best I'd heard in some time. True, my nieces were up there for the children's sermon, and sure I am blinded by their cuteness, but there were a couple other kids too. Anyway, Pastor broke out this great pink amaryllis (it's a flower, long stem, kind of like a big lily looking flower) and asked the kids about how we get a flower. We plant it! And? Then we give it water and sunshine. And? Then it grows, and we get a flower. And when it becomes a flower, it's the seed's new life. How do we plant it? He asks. We bury the seed. Then this kid pipes up, Yeah, just like we buried Jesus, then on the third day, he rose again in New Life. Wow. Pastor didn't have to say anything more. This kid knew exactly where he was going. I, however, didn't see it coming. I knew I liked Gardening and that plants and flowers are some of my favorite God-given gifts of nature. But, for some reason, I guess I never put together how when a seed is planted by us, how it is like when we buried Jesus. And how the blooming flower is our new life in Him. It was just really neat. I loved spring before, but that was quite a refreshing look on things.
So then this afternoon I go out the front door and my crocuses are blooming! I bought a mix (from the kid for the Band), and had forgotten what colors and where I had put them and all that, so it was quite a pleasant surprise. They are planted on the shady side of the house, our front walk, which doesn't get a lot of light, and we haven't had good luck growing things there, but these guys just popped up, and all of a sudden today, bam, blooms. A new life indeed.




2 comments:

Unknown said...

The flowers are beautiful!
I can't wait to start my gardening.

Anonymous said...

DE COLORES!!! I'm so glad you had a spiritually enriching experience on Via de Cristo. I'd love to hear more about your 4th day experience at my blog