A Time to Plant

The Byrds once did a song, "Turn, Turn, Turn (For Everything There Is A Season)."  Do you remember it?  Catchy tune. 

What some don't realize is that the lyrics are scripture, from Ecclesiates 3:
"To everything, there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.  A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted."

Its that time of year again.  The sun is shining and when I look out the kitchen window to my garden, I notice how beautiful it looks outside but how bare my little garden is.  I'm so very tempted to begin planting.  I love to watch things grow... see those little seedlings sprout and watch as they grow into beautiful plants that then provide an incredible harvest!  I'm practically drooling at that thought already!

My mind starts to reel with gardening thoughts and plans about this time of year.  I have to get out my gardening journal and start laying out designs and making lists of what seeds I need to order, what supplies to buy, etc.  And this is the time to start seeds indoors. 

Have you ever been the recipient of free fruits and vegetables from someone's garden?  Most of the time we say, "Thank You," and proceed to enjoy them... but how often do we stop to think of the care that went into that fruit or vegetable and how much it is a healthy, nourishing gift selected just for us?  What an incredibly thoughtful gift.  And in this economy, its a very precious one as well.

If you are a gardener yourself, now is the time to start your indoor seeds, and its about time to plant early cold weather vegetables outdoors too (like peas, spinach, etc...).  When you are planting, think about adding a few extra plants to your crop as the "Gifts" to share this year.  Perhaps start some extra seeds indoors and share the plants as they grow strong enough for outdoor planting, or even in a container where they can be kept all summer.  Start some extra flower plants to give for birthdays, mother's day, or "just because" days.  

"A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted."