Yes, hope!  After all, in gardening, as in life, the harvest is always a mystery.  My father was a wonderful gardener.  His acre garden produced mounds of potatoes, tomatoes, green beans, corn, broccoli etc.  I always remember his anticipation as spring and planting season approached.  At the same time, dad knew that it would take consistent, hard work to see the harvest.  Most of all though, dad knew that the final fruits would be a gift from God alone.  He used to say, "Nothing puts life in perspective like a garden."  I liked that kind of humility.  Dad would plant it, tend it and harvest it, but it was up to God to make it grow and provide the harvest.

     Not a bad philosophy for life and ministry!  What are the things that Christ has called you to plant, to tend?  In the Gospel of John, chapter thirteen Jesus calls his disciples, by his humble example, to get down in the dirt of life and tend to the needs of the world - no matter the cost.  Specifically, Jesus washed his disciples feet.  This was not glamorous work.  This was humbling work.  This was servant's work!  Yet, like the humble gardener, Jesus calls us to bend the knee, to put our backs into it, to get our hands dirty, that those around us may thrive, partaking in the fruits of the Gospel and nourished eternally by the redeeming grace of Christ.

     Peter's attention was on the outcomes, the harvest . . . the rewards.  But Jesus knew that Peter would never reap that harvest for God's kingdom, never know the indescribable joy and satisfaction of growing disciples unless, in all humility, he got down on his hands and knees and pulled the weeds of pride and unwillingness.  Peter could not be Christ's disciple until he was willing to do the work of a servant.  Friends, there is no greater gift for a Christian than to offer the fruits of Christ humility or experience the humble tending of the Lord in our own lives through another Christian.  It is life changing, not only feeding our souls till we want no more, but offering God's steadfast sustenance to others.  Won't you humbly cultivate and (like the sign implies in our community garden) "Humbly plant a row of Christ's abundant love and salvation for the Spiritually hungry today."

Blessings, Rev. Ellen

     P.S. There is still room for more gardeners in the community garden.  Do you know anyone who would like a plot?  Would you be willing to humbly kneel in the dirt that those without food might eat?