Pause and Gardens
As I pause in this season of Lent, I am mindful of gardens. We have an epic snow storm upon us, dumping heaps of white stuff all around the Denver metro area (and beyond). Yesterday I was restlessly trying to find a sliver of entertainment in the afternoon (Bill was exercising) so I listened to The Shell Seekers for a few moments and in that brief amount of time, I heard the narrator tell of Sophie, Penelope's mother and her love for the book Elizabeth and Her German Garden by Elizabeth von Arnim. I have come upon the mention of this story several times so I decided it was time to read it (even though I am reading and LOVING Pride and Prejudice for our family book club). Reading about Elizabeth and her love for the outdoors is very moving. I think I am more of an indoor woman, but the approaching spring makes me aware of my outdoor nature, too. THEN this morning I opened My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year by John Henry Jowett and I came upon this. Gardens again. A mere happenstance? I know different.
I honor Lent personally even though the church we go to doesn't make a point to speak of Lent. They speak A LOT of Jesus. Lent is a high church focus and I love high church doings very much. For me, Lent is a time to grow in my love for Jesus, in my knowledge of Him, in my surrender to Him. I love Jesus, God with passion for His creations, fleshed out in the form of a sinless man. This Jesus, my way to heaven. I shall remain mindful of His time in the garden of Eden, His time in the garden of Gethsemane, and my hope in the garden of eternity.
I am more excited than EVER to start my gardening year early now that I am not teaching school anymore. When the garden is beginning and when it is in full summer swing, I aim to stay out in it more, even if it's HOT.
Easter is full of flower and as I journey inward and find my Savior, I anticipate the joy of that precious April day.
Join my friend Angela (amazing and true) and the other pausers. Thank you for stopping in.
20 comments:
Oh so true, yes it begins and ends with a garden. God made us so much beauty!
I love your post and your love for the Lord xx
love your little patchwork of the house and blooms! :)
Lovely post, there is so much natural beauty in His world which goes unnoticed on a daily basis......someone once told me that "You're nearest to God in a garden than any place else on earth".
I love the quote referred to in the previous comment. A garden is surely a place where one can commune with the Lord, in peace.
I love the Shell Seekers and love listening to it on tape (!!) as well. I have Elizabeth and her German Garden on my kindle waiting to be read, just because it is mentioned by Penelope as being read by Sophie! xx
Gardens are lovely places to remind ourselves about God's greatness.
Thank you for sharing that passage...begins and ends with a garden. Inside or outside, gardening and growing is so special to the human psyche. There is nothing like digging in the dirt and sharing that passion with others. I will look forward to your Gardens of Love and Flowers in the months to come. In the meantime...stay warm!
Sue at CollectInTexas Gal
I'm having a vegetable garden this year and can't wait to get it started. Have to wait until the end of April.
Oh your post is truly inspiring !And that book 'Daily mediations ... ' sounds so interesting to me, I should look for it somewhere online. Have a wonderful new week sweet friend !
I appreciate your post today about Lent. Think I will join Angela, too. It will link to my writing blog. Thanks for the tip, PomPom.
Stay warm; we have snow now but it is not sticking to the ground. Grey, grey.
My last comment did not take, it seems. Anyway, thanks for posting about A Pause for Lent. I am linking, too.
We are having snow over in GJ right now, but it is not staying on the ground.
Stay warm!
In Church this morning, we were told that Lent is a time set aside for us to reflect and pray and give alms. It's a time to change our ways and to grow closer to Jesus.
I once did a long reflection on being in the Garden at Gethsemane with Jesus while he prayed. It was a very difficult reflection but I stayed with it for a full hour, just trying to be present and then I wrote in my journal the insights that came form my quiet time with Jesus. I'll have to go look up what I wrote in my journal sometimes.
Speaking of gardening, I can't imagine not digging in the dirt. It the closest I get to God. There is so much awesome beauty and little miracles happening during the day and night. It really is food for my soul.
Sorry for my long comment. I do get carried away.
Hugs
Thanks for this beautiful, thoughtful post. I love your gardeny collage! And you remind me of many good books I want to read! :) God bless you, friend.
I didn't grow up in a church that mentioned Lent either, but now I also observe it.Thanks for taking the time to post the pauses.
I recently read my first book by von Arnim, *In the Mountains,* and I enjoyed the natural aspects of the story very much, and the setting...I probably will like *German Garden* too if I ever get to it...
Sometimes it is good to recognise that there are things we can Christians learn from one another [like acknowledging the season of Lent] I too grew up in the nonconformist tradition where they spoke a LOT about Jesus - but didn't always pick up on Lent. A great post, PomPom - thank you x
I love your collage. It reminds me of Lauren Childs' pictures and I love them very much! Lent is another love. This year it feels like coming home.
I do love all of the gardens in the Bible. It has been awhile since I thought about those three.
Thank you for the reminder.
I love all of your flowers. I am still in garden denial. Not sure what I will do with mine.
I think I would be happier if mine were under 10 feet of snow. :)
Have a wonderful week.
I come from a church background that did not talk about Lent. I think it's a good to experience "High Church", too and not to get in a rut with worship. I love Easter and all that our Savior has done for us! Have a wonderful week. Stay warm!!
I did love the Elizabeth book, but like you, I'm an indoor woman fundamentally, not an outdoor/garden woman. I do go outdoors and love being outside, and often love digging in dirt, but not with the utter devotion of Elizabeth and some other friends :) We are what we are! I love that note about the 3 gardens - how true! I'd never thought of it that way. How I long to get to that fresh new garden of a new earth. What a joy it will be! Meanwhile we wait in our earthly winter for the eruption of new life, don't we?
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