The Pea Patch

I love gardening. I love this time of year when the first of the garden crops are starting to come in. I love the soft dirt between my toes and the bright colors of the veggies growing. I also love the quietness of the garden. I get lost in time when I am out there. It is behind the barn and out of the day to day traffic. I usually put on my ear buds and play my favorite music while picking. I like to set my iPod to "shuffle" and then I get an assortment of songs. I have songs that take me back to when I was a child, current hits and then the praise and worship songs, that cause me to stop what I am doing and just thank God for who He is.

Tuesday night after checking the garden, I noticed the peas were ready for their first picking. My husband helped me put a fence up so the picking would be easier on my back with my arthritis. I was ready for fresh peas.

I went on the outside of the fence first and worked my way around the entire outside. Then I started working on the inside of the two rows. I was enjoying my time so much and enjoying all the sights while picking. The birds were singing and even a robin was sitting on top of the tomato stake and watching me. She seemed so happy to be joining me in the garden.

Look how straight and tall the plants are and full of blooms, which means many more peas will be coming. I was on my last turn and ready to reach into the top part of the stalk, when to my surprise this is what caught my eye....

I was scared at first, because my hand almost touched it. But once I realized what it was, I wanted to hold it.  Then I realized it was more scared of me. It wanted so bad for me to keep moving past it, just like I had done earlier. I now understood why the robin was sitting so close to me and watching my every move. She wasn't there to see me or worms from the garden. She was there watching over her prized possession.

The thoughts that went through my mind were what I want to share with you. As I reflected on going to the garden and checking the peas, then coming back with my bucket, then picking and moving the fence a bit since the wind had caused it to lean a little, that tiny bird was there the whole time. I thought I had looked closely at the peas and I missed it so many times. How many times do I look at a situation and think I am seeing all there is to see? I make decisions, choices and even judgements based on what I see. But am I really seeing the whole picture. If you look at the second picture you will see the robin is there, but hiding very well. Are there times I see glimpes of God at work, yet I don't look how closely He is in the details? We may think that what we see, is ALL there is to see, yet, if we had to admit it, we were blind to the details he was working out. I had something this week that I had decided was going to be a no answer, but realized there was one more piece to the puzzle before God was going to give me the final answer. I assumed based on what I had before me and didn't fully do my part of the work. I was the missing piece and had to take ownership in some of the things. The answer I assumed was no, turned out to be a yes.  There were just some things that had to be done on my part before He could say yes.

The other part I thought about was, that mother was watching quietly and patiently. She must have sensed I didn't see her young, because she remained quiet but watchful. God is always watching over us, He may seem quiet at times, but He is still watching. We mean so much more to Him than that baby robin meant to its mother. She will simply have another batch. She will continue to do that. You, however, are not replaceable. You, were thoughtout and sought after and even bought for a price. You mean more to Him than anything. So, I want to encourage you, if  the picture before you looks dim or that the answer you begged for is no, remember you may not be seeing the whole picture. The answer may still come back no, but you will see better why it is no. No - sometimes means the time isn't right, the situation isn't in your best interest, or you need to check your reason for asking in the first place. But regardless on the response, you can know this for sure, He is watching over you and protecting you, even if you don't feel it. If you have time this week, read Psalm 139 in your favorite bible translation, I recommend New Living Translation, but what ever is your favorite, will be what is best. Insert your name in the verses if you need to be reminded just how much you are loved and planned for. Read it several times or until it really sinks into your soul.

If you have a vegetable garden, be on the lookout for hidden treasures. We serve a God that likes to surprise us every now and then, just because He can. If you don't have a garden, trust me, He still has hidden treasures for you, but are you looking....

Happy treasure hunting!