The Vine and the Branches

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me."

John 15: 1-4

This summer Brandon, Matney, and I have been enjoying many goodies from the first garden we have planted as a family (last summer we didn't plant as Matney was still a baby). We have all enjoyed spending many hours in the garden - Mommy and Daddy to enjoy the fruits of our labor and Matney to enjoy the dirt between her toes. I have to admit that growing your own vegetables and canning or storing them for the winter is very empowering and therapeutic. After losing my two Grandmothers within weeks of each other this spring, I have often found solice outside and in the garden or my flower beds. Grandma Janie loved to garden and Grandma Leota loved to eat from the garden (she wasn't really in to dirt!). Many of my childhood memories come from gardening at either grandparents home or canning with my dad. I also have many memories of rock picking at my parents house as it seemed Dad's garden grew rocks in the winter and it was up to Abby and me job to pick them out.

(Matney trying her first piece of fresh corn straight from the garden)

One of my lasting memories comes from gardening when one summer Dad made Abby and I pick rocks upon rocks and the pick green beans and break them. We were so sick of green beans that we finally stopped stringing them and just dumped them in the bowl. We taught Dad a good lesson when he canned the beans and started to eat them. A bowl of beans and strings is no good! After that I don't think Dad planted green beans for years.

We have had squash, cucumbers, potatoes, corn, tomatoes, and peppers galore. Brandon wanted to make pickles so we attempted a batch one Sunday afternoon and it was all we could do to wait 2 weeks to try them. They turned out great so we made a second batch to last us for quite a while. I have chopped tomatoes and stored for the winter and we spent last Friday evening shucking corn and freezing it up as well. Thanks to Papa G for helping us clean the corn - it was a nice pay back after all those years of truck beds full of corn to clean.

This year I had Brandon buy peaches when they were for sale in town and I spent one Saturday morning skinning, boiling, and preserving them to enjoy all winter long. I was daunted by the task at first but then realized once I got started that it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I am looking forward to many cobblers throughtout the winter.

As the garden is starting to fizzle out for the year, we already have plans in our mind for our garden next year. As we work in our garden and pick the fruit, I am reminded that God has provided for us and he is the true gardener. We are his fruit and through Him all things are possible.