Of Fruit Trees, Tomatoes and Faith

Confession time - I enjoy food.  When a girl living in upstate New York I loved wandering through my grandfather's corn field and peach orchard.  Apple and pear trees were lush as they stood tall on the side of my grandparent's big house on main street.  A special treat was gathering up fresh peas that had fallen off the trucks as they drove through our small town.

Bright green pods bursting with juicy, fragrant peas. A special time around Aunt Mabels kitchen table when I was 8.

I can still remember the taste of ripe tomatoes fresh from my daddy's garden, eaten straight from the vine.
Mother and Gram spent hours in the kitchen "putting up" tomatoes, fresh corn and green beans.  A colorful sight as they lined the shelves in our cellar.

When we moved to South West Florida our gardening days ended.  Mom & Daddy took one look at the sandy soil and threw up their hands.

I've told myself that I should start a "Container Garden" and at least try tomatoes and herbs. This just might be the year.

Genesis 2:8-9a, 15  tells us about a Garden.  "And the LORD God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed.  And out of the ground the LORD God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food"...Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it."

These 3 verses are rich with meaning for me.  Can you picture the Lord kneeling on the soil planting a Garden?  He patiently breaks the soil to plant the seeds as He shows the man how to plant.  Can you picture Adam with a wondering look on his face?  Why, Lord?? Can you hear the Almighty's answer - to "eat" you will need food"..... then giving the man responsibility for keeping the garden fruitful?

The first farmer.

Now I ask you does it get any better than that?  Think about it... our God, himself, planted the very first fruit trees.  He gave those trees to the first Adam, but as I consider the fruit trees in my grandparent's side yard in upstate New York, I believe with all my heart that when the LORD was thinking of the man..the man in the first garden...He was also looking down through the centuries to come and He was thinking about all His gardeners yet to be born.

No, dear one, it doesn't get any better than that.....

.......I can just taste those fresh tomatoes....can't you?