yesterday we stepped in the garden for the first time this year. after bitter, freezing temperatures kicked off the week, it was surprising to find the weather mild and inviting and green shoots pushing through the soil. we worked without coats. the majority of our efforts involved un-fun of gardening - weeding, removing leaves, trimming last year's dead growth, and poor geoff fixing a broken gutter from the ice storm. but in the mundane tasks, i was converted all over again.
last december, racing against time, i put some potato onions in the garden (thanks to my generous neighbor and friend, rona). it was a cold, dismal day and the ground was muddy - very unpromising circumstances. this type of onion is just wonderful because it produces more like shallots, clusters of onions, that can be divided up for some to be eaten and the rest replanted for next year. a solidly sustainable crop. yesterday, as i scrounged around to remove a most-resented, ubiquitous weed that got away from me last summer, i found the green tips of these unexpected characters coming up through soil and mulch.
three years ago, during the same lenten stretch, my faith had left me and the garden was the only place of refuge where the gentle grace and love of god would emerge and undo me. at that time, i remember the same sense of wonder and spontaneous joy overcame me (and the tears too) when i discovered tiny swiss chard (silverbeet) seedlings presenting themselves in the poorest soil of our garden. in that moment, i found the edges of myself and the beginning of god's good and always miraculous work of creation and recreation.
the garden reminds me to give thanks for the recreating work of the one who made all things. it is always when i least expect it that i am converted again to a life in and with this mysterious creator. and if i look to where hope comes from, at least in my life, i'd say a good bit of it is rooted in the soil, literally.
check out this wonderful new book by our friend nancy sleeth. a comprehensive and creative exploration of all things 'green'. have you ever felt inspired to do your part about the environmental crisis but ultimately fallen short of your own ideals? The scale of our wanton wastefulness and this desperate hour for our planet combine to paralyze the ones we have been waiting for: us! This book combines everyday advice with global insight so that, finally, we can join the dots between air drying our laundry and global warming, driving less and atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, switching out light-bulbs and mountain top removal. Nancy has artfully combined thorough, up to date research, personal stories, and practical advice to make a way for creative, sustainable, life-giving sacrifice. This is a fantastic resource for any household wanting to understand and practice the twin aspirations of Christian faithfulness and green living.
