My husband and I have had a garden for the last 5 years. We tilled up a 20 x 20 foot patch of yard, planted some seeds and waited for our bountiful harvest. But, in case you haven’t tried this yourself, let me tell you…gardens are a lot of work. Our enthusiasm in year one kept us loving thinning carrots, regularly pulling weeds and keeping things well tended. The last few years…not so loving, regular or well-tended!
I couldn’t help but think of our marriage as a garden. We started with such ideal expectations, only to realize that marriage was a lot of work. It needs regularly tending in order to see the harvest we all expect.
- What seeds am I planting into our marriage garden? Seeds of love? Patience? Understanding? We all know that you reap what you sow. If I’m not seeing these from my spouse lately, is it because I’m not showing them myself?
- What weeds have been left to sprout up as my marriage goes untended? Weeds of bitterness? Resentment? A hurt feeling here? A harsh word there? Sometimes I see the weed but don’t bother to ‘pull’ it thinking “Oh, it is only a small weed.” But, then as weeds do, it grows. One weed turns into garden full and then the healthy marriage is choked of life.
- Is my marriage feeling parched? A little dry lately? The passing showers of Sunday service or a prayer before dinner might offer a spiritual sprinkle, but perhaps we need a good “Living Water” rain. A soaking of our souls to really refresh our relationship? Time to go to the only ONE who can really quench our hearts.
“Come, all you who are thirsty; come to the waters….” Isaiah 55:1
I love our garden when I’m washing a sinkful of fresh green beans to freeze for the winter or grabbing a cucumber for tonight’s salad. The harvest is good, and well worth the work. And the harvest for tending your marriage doesn’t just last a season. It feeds generations. Some great-great-great grandkid you’ll never know will reap the harvest of love & care you cultivate into your family.
And as a favorite song of Dave’s & mine says…
“There is only two things that money can’t buy,
And that’s true love and homegrown tomatoes.”
– Guy Clark
© 2012 – 2023, Danielle Peters. All rights reserved. Love it? Please share, pin, tweet or email but do not use my work without permission.
Leave a Reply