In the Garden

He also said, "This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain - first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head."

~Mark 4:26-28

As I walk in my back yard toward my flower garden, this verse comes into my mind. Because every night and day since I have scattered my seeds - whether I have been sleeping or getting up (or laying in be wishing I was sleeping *ahem*) - they have been sprouting and growing.
Except, well, I know how.
That is, because God is faithful and He is a miracle-worker!
And that, right there, is the greater reason I love my flower garden. I mean, the beautiful blooms I am anticipating delight me. But it is the constant and consistent reminder of God's faithfulness and power that makes my spirit soar.
Especially this season, when I wasn't even sure the seeds were "good" or that they would grow, I am wonderfully encouraged to remember that God is in all and over all and working all things out.

Even since last week, my little garden is progressing beautifully.

See? I don't need to draw green lines in order for you to see where the zinnias are sprouting.
(I have even thinned them out, so they will have more room to grow and flourish. And, believe me, pulling sprouts was not easy for me to do because I didn't want to harm those innocent little plants. *gulp*)
Yet another lesson from my Father about pruning and planning and hard times being used for good.

OH, and do you remember the suspicion I had that the alyssum have returned?
Confirmed! Check out the tiny flowers which have already begun blooming!

When I was weeding I came across some leaves of which I wasn't sure.
I decided to let them be "just in case" they were alumni from a plant my friend gave me last summer.

And when I compared them to new plants of the same kind she gave me to plant this year, I found my just-in-case actions to be justified. (Do you see the resemblance?)

And, speaking of alumni...
The Everlastings (For which the ladies from my Precept class gave me seeds last year.) are back!

These beauties are on the side of the house and are situated right next to two rows of zinnia sprouts. Looking forward to lots of colorful blooms!

I wish that was all I had to say about my garden and the flora around my house. But the truth is, while I am simply delighted with the plants that are growing I am also quite annoyed with an animal, or two.
Remember my tulips that lost their heads this spring?
Well, I'm thinking this chomping was done by a larger scoundrel.
So, yeah. While some wonderful growth has been happening around my yard, this has occurred, too.

Yet, even as a look at my chewed-on plants (And as I realize the scoundrel animal didn't have it in for me. It was just hungry and was happy to come upon these morsels.) God reminds me that He is the author of life - and new life! I can trust Him to bring these plants back again.