There's something exciting about carefully placing a seed into the fertile soil and keeping watch 'til the first new signs of life appear. We can experience the "feelings of accomplishment, and inner peace" in our persistent efforts to grow "obedience gardens".
"Several years ago, our newly married daughter and her husband began a series of moves from one place to another—graduate school, first job, and so on. These moves took them to various parts of the country. In each place the climate and soil conditions were different, but they determined they would follow the prophet’s advice and have a garden. Their first attempts at gardening were pathetic. The weeds grew much better than the vegetables. The gardens were “obedience gardens.” However, with continued effort, each year the gardens improved. They learned new techniques and developed skills. As children came to their family, each was taught to work and take responsibility in those “obedience gardens.” Now their gardens are attractive, worthwhile “survival” projects, as the family enjoys and shares the produce. They preserve the excess for later use. Besides the practical lessons they learned, they found peace and assurance in keeping the commandments. Surely the promise was fulfilled for them: the prophet’s advice had been for their good always.
Sometimes we think that because our circumstances are difficult, it is not practical to keep all the Lord’s commandments. There are those, for instance, who feel they cannot afford to pay tithing. But as we obey the commandments, we have the evidence of blessings, feelings of accomplishment, and inner peace."
Barbara W. Winder, “Draw Near unto Me through Obedience,” Ensign, Nov 1985, 95
4 comments:
I love this. Great reminder. I'm often ridiculed for my preparedness and garden. Now I can put into words why I do it...obedience! Thank you! Lorie
Thanks Lorie! You go girl!
As we continue living mostly on our food storage and garden, I am so thankful for a garden. This year our garden is fuller and better than before. Our fruit trees will have fruit this year, and though it is not a large amount as they are still small, it is a nice change compared to the last two years.
Today I have eaten aspargus, lettuce, and spinach from my garden. Tonight we will have artichokes.
A garden brings variety and freshness to your food storage. You may not know how much you truly miss being able to have fresh fruits and vegetables until you start living on your food storage. Should you have to do it for a long time, as we have, you may find that your diligence in learning to garden becomes extremely important. You can't just eat fruit from your trees if you never planted any! And they take time; we planted them and begin living on our food storage shortly afterwards, but we had to wait on them.
If you don't know how to garden, some things may not grow and others will die, right when your family is desparate for the food.
It takes a few years to build up a good, rich soil. Our soil was not ready that first year. I didn't know I could plant a fall garden that year.
The next year, I tried planting a fall garden, and we had lots more food in fall and winter and in the spring because of it.
We're eating artichokes right now that were planted a few years ago from seed. Last year we only got about 6 or 7. This year we have already had more than 25, and we expect to harvest at least 70. Who would have thought you could be living on your food storage and eat artichokes?
A garden is really an important part of your food storage. If you have the ground to plant a garden, grow as much as you can in that space.
Thanks for sharing! Some good things to think about!
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