Do-Over Season

Tuesday, May 07, 2013 Posted by Katie

Two Springs ago, we had just moved to Texas and I had just begun to work full time after many months of being at home with both of my precious boys. In an effort to spend more intentional time with my sons when I was home, we started a garden. It was going to be beautiful. Seriously. We planted from seed so, you know, we were cool for doing it from scratch. Noah went nuts when the first shoots appeared. We had green beans, squash, corn, and sunflowers, not to mention a selection of colorful flowers for our little patio. It was going to be just beautiful.

It was going to be beautiful, that is, except for the drought.

Yes, my dears, the drought. You know, the one that fried Texas to a crispy brown and dried up lakes, killed trees, and brought summer temps up to 112 degrees? That drought destroyed our garden. Our veggies died of thirst. Our patio flowers looked like we baked them in an oven (which we essentially did considering the location of the patio next to a brick home). Garden dead. Quality kiddo time ruined. I was not lovin’ Texas two Springs ago. Not. At. All.

But that was two Springs ago. And I honestly can’t remember what we did last Spring other than the fact that we ignored the garden. Perhaps I was still bitter.

But this spring, THIS spring, we planted roses, and lavender, and shasta daisies, and gerbera daisies, and delphiniums, and lilies. And we dug, and weeded, and mulched. We reclaimed the land. It is beautiful, just beautiful! The time with my sons has been so rewarding, both for them and for me. The boys have their own gloves, shovels, rake and hoe and now actually ask every weekend, “Mama, can we go plant something?” I love it. (And Texas is growing on me.)

What a difference a season (or two) can make, right? If we could only have the faith and patience to wait for the drought to end, what beauty awaits us when the next Spring comes! The land can recover and bring forth life.

And so can you.

Amen.