Learning the ways God and God’s story is revealed to us, sometimes plainly, through his Creation and simple rhythms of tending to a garden. In September this year, we had the privilege of hosting Christine Sine, Director of Mustard Seed Associates, from Seattle, Washington for a morning seminar on the Spirituality of Gardening. Seasoned gardeners and folks new to gardening were welcomed to the event.
We started off first with a question: What makes you most aware of God in the Garden? Everyone had an answer. Among the discussion, what stood out for me was one participant’s answer of how gardening helps us relate better to death.
Christine shared with us how gardening keeps humans connected to God’s creation, and that even kneeling to garden is a prayerful posture. What each changing season brings relates humanity to the ways God is at work in our individual lives. From growth, to pruning and rest. We were reminded that God is in the business of good soil, so that humans can thrive from the food grown from it. Making compost, is also a worthy task, like Jesus binding up our brokenness and renewing our lives and world.
Our participants left inspired and refreshed, connecting what is often seen as humble hobby to the grandeur of God’s plan and restoration is deeply encouraging. We are planning to host this seminar again in the Fall of 2016, I hope you can join us then!
At the end, we were encouraged to ponder these questions from gardening from this past season:
1.What did you learn about gardening?
2. What did you learn about yourself?
3. What did you learn about God?
Take a moment to share your thoughts with me here.
Looking for more? Here’s Christine’s article on another website.
