What Gardening Taught Me About Our Heavenly Parents
My husband and I have been married for two years and just recently moved to a new apartment that has garden beds. We were ecstatic! Both of us have always wanted to try gardening and we finally had our chance. However, I had no idea how much this experience was going to teach me about our heavenly parents and the love they have for their children.
Related: California Ward Garden Acts as Missionary and Teaching Tool
Our Plant Babies
We don’t have a large space for a garden, so we could only do a few plants. We chose strawberries, cucumbers, zucchini, and flowers. We spent a day making sure the soil was perfect and weeded. Next, we picked out the perfect plant babies!
Finally, we planted them! We took great care and made sure they got a good watering. Our landlord even helped us plant bright yellow flowers next to our fruits and veggies. These flowers draw bugs away from our food to give them a better chance.
As the days went on, we did a lot of watching and watering. I stopped by the garden every time I left and came back to the house. I spoke to the plants (I’m a crazy plant lady, what can I say) and always made sure they were doing well. I plucked weeds every day to keep them safe.
A Work in Progress
Our garden has only been in the works for a few weeks and so far we’ve only had one strawberry. It’s definitely a work in progress! However, there are no doubts in my mind that we will have some gorgeous flowers and yummy vegetables in the weeks to come.
I know there are many days of weeding, watering, and waiting ahead. However, I’m not impatient. Gardening is a process and you know what you’re getting yourself into. I signed up for this and I’m enjoying the experience!
The Love of a Parent
Because I don’t have kids yet, I don’t fully understand the love of a parent. Nevertheless, I feel like I have learned something about this emotion through my little garden. On a much larger scale, parents are constantly watching over and thinking about their kids. They want what’s best for them and work diligently to give them the best environment possible.
Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother are the best parents out there. They are constantly thinking about every single one of us. They are weeding around us, watering us daily, and have even given us tools to keep the bugs away. To them, we are most precious. How cool is that?
Our Best Chance
God created this beautiful planet just for you and me. He made sure the soil was just right and picked the perfect time for us to be planted. You are here at this moment because He knew it was best for you.
Blessings are being poured on you daily. All you have to do it stop and soak them in! Have gratitude for them and notice how much you have been given. God knows our potential and wants us to grow. When we allow Him to help, miracles can happen.
Because of Him, we have truly been given our best chance. Our heavenly parents want us to succeed here on Earth. They are working so hard to keep us safe and allow us to return back to them. They have such faith in us, just like I have faith in my little plants.
Infinite Love
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf said,
Think of the purest love you can imagine. Now multiply that love by an infinite amount—that is the measure of God’s love for you.
Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. Though we may feel lost, God’s love encompasses us completely.
He loves us because He is filled with an infinite amount of holy, pure, and indescribable love. We are important to God because we are His children. He loves every one of us, even those who are flawed or awkward. God’s love is so great that He loves even the proud, the selfish, the arrogant, and the wicked.
What this means is that, no matter our mistakes, our infinitely compassionate Heavenly Father desires that we draw near to Him so that He can draw near to us.
Truly, the love our heavenly parents have for us is incomprehensible. I am overwhelmed when I think about it. They will always be there for you. Their love is perfect and unchanging. What a blessing!
I pray that we all can notice Heavenly Father’s hand in our lives as He gardens around us. I hope that you will take the time to thank Him for all He does. As you do so, I know He will bless you more and more. You will find more joy and peace, no matter what weeds grow in your path.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” ~ John 3:16
Related: What Is God’s Love Language?
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