Lessons in the Garden
Posted in Daily Focus on Friday, March 14, 2014
Do you realize how many homeschooling lessons can be learned from gardening? From biology to Bible, gardening provided our family more opportunities to learn truths than any other activity. Such was the case the year my son prepared to win the grand champion purple ribbon at the county fair with his homegrown vegetables.
Earlier that spring, my son and I had carefully planned and planted our garden. Throughout the growing season, his thriving tomatoes were the best of all his vegetables. Deciding to focus his attention on their care, he applied exact amounts of fertilizer and built cages to protect the vines from the wind. As the tomatoes began to form, we knew the timing for harvesting them would perfectly match the date of the fair. Filled with excitement, he could already see the purple ribbon hanging on his bedroom wall.
Two weeks before the fair, our garden received a mysterious nighttime visitor. Some four-legged fiend ransacked my son's tomatoes and broke off most of the vines. In hopes that we could save my son's tomatoes, we attempted to repair the remaining damaged vines. However, only a few days passed before we noticed the life-giving nutrients were not reaching the tomatoes. My son was devastated when he realized his dreams for that year's prize had been thwarted. He had learned the hard lesson of John 15:5, "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."
Have you considered planting a garden this year with your homeschoolers? Whether you grow one for fun or for feeding your family, the blessings God will give and the lessons God will teach will make all the work worth the effort. After all, gardens have been the best place to learn God's lessons since He first placed man in one when He created the world! "For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations" (Isaiah 61:11).
Lord, what an awesome God You are and how dependent we are on You for everything! Teach me the lessons from Your creation and Your Word that will make me more like You. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Comments(9 comments)
CHAD J 03/14/2009 09:50:03
This was a great idea for me as me and my children get ready to start homeschooling and we all love gardening, thanks for the idea.
ELIZABETH J 03/14/2010 12:46:40
My oldest daughter loves flowers and we have already been researching which flowers grow best in our climate. But my youngest 2 children have sworn off veggies!!! Maybe growing them themselves will help them enjoy eating them more.
ANA B 03/14/2010 18:43:22
What a beautiful devotion! We are planning a garden this year after two years of not planting anything due to health issues, but praise God I am on remission of leukemia and God had given me energy again, we already have the seeds and I need to select some Bible passages to study also.
One year when I first moved to USA and got our home, the dandelions roots of two exactly size dandelions amazed me, one was short and could be pulled out, the other was long and deep in the ground,..., concluding, it come to my mind about the roots of SIN, that need to be taken out completely from our hearts, as the one who was deep had been cut with the lawn mower every year on the top but the root was gaining strength underneath. Jesus can clean us from our sins completely and take some undesirable roots from our hearts, that was what I learned that day in the garden.
CHRISTINA L 03/14/2011 06:41:06
Gardening is wonderful, but because of allergies I am unable to go into one. Also my children are too involved with the farming operation to have time for gardening.
But we use every aspect of farming to teach our children about God and live. There is a number of quick facts that you can learn form calving to the end product ending up on your table. We use our farming like you use your garden and it is wonderful.
WILMER Q 03/15/2011 15:31:43
As the sprint approches comes the rains and sunny days, all the grandkids are anxious to get on the garden and get their little hands all dirty with papa and grandma. And I will tell you that I we really feel the same way as they do. these year I believed is goin to be something special.
LINDA C 03/17/2011 08:31:13
Plant the seed and let God grow the fruit.!!
Always giving YHVH (the Hebrew name of GOD) your Elome( means GOD in Hebrew) praise.
Thank you Yashua (in Hebrew Jesus)
MIA M 03/14/2012 06:36:47
I had a garden last year and it was a success, with God I\'m still reaping the benefits. I am planting a garden this year , an I just went to the library and got a science book on just that so I could get my 15 y/o to work that into his lesson. I just love these devotionals . They are always right on time.
TABITHA J 03/14/2012 07:35:09
My husband and I been talking about doing an indoor garden to grow fresh fruits and veggies to save money on the food bill.
Matilda H 03/14/2012 07:37:08
I find gardening the best therepy for sanity ever. It is hard work but relaxing at the same time. Lots of time to think, sing, pray or talk and work together as a family. It\'s great.