Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Harvesting Seeds

Tonight, after dinner, the boys and I went outside to harvest some of the seeds from our summer crops that are winding down.  Maybe the word "crops" was a little industrial for our backyard garden.  But when you really see how many seeds you get from one plant, a gardener can dream of the possibilities.

We had one courageous volunteer sunflower plant that grew tall and proud.  It rose about 7 feet high in the same spot that I had planted its momma two years ago.   It bloomed in about 10 different places.  Striking brown and gold blooms opening once a week or so and lasting over two months total.  I took a few of the biggest of the spent blooms from that plant today and investigated to see what kinds of seed possibilities we had.  My Noah and I pulled at least 50 -100 from a half dollar sized flower head.  Then, I took the biggest one and was digging laboriously under the pollen to see what it would hold, when my Zak (who is the real green thumb around here), took the flower, banged it a few times, and hundreds of small black sunflower seeds went in a big pile on the table.  Alrighty then.

I have been gardening for several years now, learning a little at a time, but I have never been organized enough to remember to harvest, save and replant very many of my seeds for the next season.  But now that the boys are taking an interest and it is a hobby that we enjoy together, I am able to expand a little bit.  So I was just amazed at the amount of seeds that come from each bit of fruit and flower.

When I think of how God designed the whole process, I am humbled.  If indeed I can sow just one sunflower and from that beautiful plant get a return of at least a thousand seeds, how much more fruitful has God made His children?  What is the potential of each fruit God has produced in my life, that after that bloom has been spent and I have moved on, will years later find its way onto some rich soil and spring to new life!  What a privilege it is to be a branch on the True Vine and to hold His fruit aloft. 

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up".  Galatians 6:9

2 comments:

  1. Even tho I see or talk to you lots, it is fun to read your blog because I always learn something new that is going on or that you have done. I anxiously check for updates!! Love you all!!

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  2. Thanks Mom! It is fun to write little things that we did knowing that you will read and get a kick out of them!

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