I have mentioned before how we have been involved in cultivating a vegetable patch and today I want to share one of our big successes...the pumpkin!
We started growing pumpkins from seeds which we planted in little yoghurt pots on our windowsills. We began in March and those little seeds went through a lot. 5 little seeds were sown and fed and watered in their little pots on our windowsill. It didn't take too long for the shoots to start growing and soon we had 5 little plants in their little pots. As they grew I moved them to a temporary green house shelter outside. It is a self standing structure made from metal with a polythene cover that fits over the top.
Not long after putting the pumpkin plants outside we were hit by some mighty strong winds and the greenhouse took a battering to the point it blew over scattering seeds and soil everywhere. There weren't just pumpkin plants out there, but also carrots, parsnips, tomatoes, spring onions, lettuces, broccoli, spinach and courgettes. It was a labour of love as I collected what I could find and repot the seeds and plants and erect the greenhouse again. The problem was I could no longer tell what plant was what and certainly the seeds were confusing. Two more times this greenhouse blew over before I could figure out a way to secure it tightly enough to prevent it happening again. By this point the seeds and plants were thoroughly mixed up. As time moved on the plants started to grow and show different qualities and I began to be able to tell plants apart from the broad soft lettuce leaves to tall thin spring onions, purple tinged spinach leaves to the characteristic carrot tops. The vegetables were transferred to the ground. All going well so far but there was a collection of fairly large plants that were in need of identification. All I knew was that I had courgettes and pumpkins in the greenhouse still but they all looked the same. They were thirsty plants and I needed to get them in the ground. But I still couldn't tell them apart, eventually I bit the bullet as it is said and got my trowel and planted the plants in a long row along the vegetable patch. Job done I then waited to see if I could tell them apart when the flowers came.
Well the flowers did come and I still could not be sure on which plant was which. My boys were expecting pumpkins but I began to think all we had were courgettes, certainly not the lads favourite vegetable. Sure enough we could see courgettes growing but a few weeks after the first courgette could be seen a rather bulbous object was found to be growing on one of the plants. Excitement rippled through the family as we waited expectantly to see whether this could be the pumpkin. As it grew I noticed that there was a slight difference in the plant as it was starting to grow out along the ground rather than up like the courgettes were doing. There were shouts of joy a little time later as the classic pumpkin shape was evident from the bulbous growth. It rapidly grew and got to an impressive size and then more shouts of joy and it turned orange.
It was like a graduation day the day we harvested the pumpkin. Pictures were taken and looks of joy were shared amongst us as we surveyed the majestic vegetable. Only the next day it was chopped into pieces, a task that took some time, and put in a pan as I decided what I was going to make.
It was lovely to tuck into a deliciously warm soup and enjoy the produce of our garden. We have one more pumpkin growing outside. We planted 5 seeds but only 2 managed to weather the storm.
This experience reminded me of the parable of the sower. For those not fully aware of it, here it is straight from the Bible:
Matthew 13
The Parable of the Sower
13 On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. 2 And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. 8 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
What does this mean? Well the Bible tells us more:
The Parable of the Sower Explained
18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
The storms and winds that some of my seeds had to endure uprooted them and scattered them across the ground and 3 were lost and did not grow. But 2 of the pumpkin plants did not get lost in the storm and went on to be fruitful plants as we have been able to enjoy the produce. Our faith is like this, for those people who have trusted in the Lord Jesus and put our roots in Him, establishing our lives on the truth of His Word, then when the storms come, as they will, then even if we get battered and bruised our faith will remain and we will go on to produce fruit in our lives. But if our faith is not in Christ but on ourselves then I'm afraid we will be like the 3 remaining pumpkin plants, lost and unfruitful.
We have heard the joyful sound:
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Spread the tidings all around:
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Bear the news to every land,
Climb the mountains, cross the waves;
Onward! ’tis our Lord’s command;
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
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