Winter

Winter

Friday, April 29, 2011

Why I Grew A Garden


I was thinking about how much my life has changed in
the last three years. As I was looking back early this morning
in my mind. I have seen how much the Lord has done for us
and not to us. Sometimes taking a step out of a comfort zone
even though hard, becomes a huge blessing.

For 22 years my husband had a very nice job. We had a very nice
life and yes, I was quite spoiled. I didn't garden much I always had
my tomatoes and my peppers and I grew flowers but other than that
the most I did was read books.

In 2008 just before the the crash. The company that my husband had been
working for all of those years, sold to a group of investors. The company that
had spent years being proud of the services they provided became more concerned
about making a return for their money. My husband started praying that God would
open up another door for him to walk through and God answered.

At 50 years old, my husband started a new job in a new field and in a new industry.
He also started over at the place college students started too. He was working with
young people the same age as our children.


We didn't know if we would be able to keep our house because he also took a giant and I
mean giant pay cut. Our insurance was gone and we were back at the place we
had been when we first got married. So I did what we had done in the beginning.

I put in a garden, I knew if I could keep my freezer full, my pantry full and work as hard
as I could and cut out everything that wasn't a need and only live as carefully as
possible we would be okay.


As I watched my husband day by day struggle to grasp all of the new concepts coming at him
I watched him work so hard and I saw him never complain and I knew I must to
a better job at being a help mate and we would work harder than we had ever worked before.

Our first garden became our joy. Gone were the vacations but it was okay because we found
we loved working in the garden together we sat and talked and as we worked our way through
all of the hard things that were coming at us, we saw that the God who delights in
impossibilities begin to do impossible things. Our marriage got stronger our life got simpler,
life became better.

We garden because now when we are out there we remember that it is God who gives the increase. No, my husbands pay scale hasn't changed we still live pretty close to the edge. God though gives us just what we need when we need it. He provides all of our needs, and sometimes
He does throw in our wants. The Lord continues to bless the work of my husband's hands.


So really, My field of dreams is still that and I am thankful that God allowed us
to keep it and it really isn't my field of dreams but Gods who promises to never leave
us or forsake us.
I am praying for the people of the south who are going through so much, my thoughts
and prayers are being lifted up today for you.

All photos in this post are from our first garden and my first adventures in using a camera. ;)

~Kim~

18 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

great post, again, dear kim. :) "God gives us our needs and sometimes our wants." :)

no spring chicken said...

Reading your post was like deja vu! Ditto all the way, and I do mean all the way, except for the huge garden. Life has become quite the adventure but God provides just what we need, just when we need it because we are faithful to do what is at hand without grumbling.

Blessings, Debbie

Anonymous said...

comfort zone -- there is yet I am sad to say will experience this very thing that you have in 2008 and like my side in 2009 with my husband's cancer we lost our buisness which started the crash in our lives -- could not recover -- then opportinty comes and we take in with MUCH prayer and we were off to try something new and that's what we are doing..out of my comfort zone - indeed and talk about deja vu - what has happened in your life we have had happened a few time before -- and Yes, God still takes care of us.. "We are Blessed and Life is Good" that's why I have said this now for MANY years.. We are Blessed and Life is Good - because "for with God nothing shall be impossible" St Luke 1:37
Have a super wonderful day! Kris

Kim said...

I love this post and as always, your eternal optimism. Your glass is always half full no matter what life hands you and that is an inspiration to all of us who you allow to share your life.
Hugs, Kim

Kessie said...

This was a good reminder for me today. I forgot that's why you started the garden. I wish I had space to plant a garden, because I'm so afraid of a repeat of last summer.

Gail said...

The garden can take nuture and heal our hearts as well as our bodies.

Love the trellis.

Miss Debbie said...

Beautiful testimony of God's faithfulness and yours! Thanks for sharing it. Have a wonderfully blessed weekend! :-)

Alica said...

I think I'll just ditto all of these comments...beautiful testimony! Thanks for sharing with all of us!

Debbie said...

I really appreciate your sharing this story Kim. It is an inspiration for not only what God can do, but how He blesses us with more than we ever thought to ask for. These last few years have been tough for many of us. My husband too has struggled to make even close to what he has in the past and he works at it MUCH harder! But our God really is faithful and He really does provide our needs. And I have found that when He occasionally provides some of our wants too, I appreciate them so much more. Have a wonderful week-end!

BLESSINGS & HUGS

From Beyond My Kitchen Window said...

I think God has made a gift of you to all your blogger friends. You always have such a wonderful attitude and optimism. There is a way you put things in perspective that is gentle and personal not preachy. I always feel good when I read your posts.

Julia said...

What a witness to your faith in God when the going gets tough. I enjoyed hearing your story. Hugs, JB

Mary said...

Thank you for being so open and sharing with us. We are going through that same situation right now. We have been selling alot of our "stuff" and was saddened by how attatched to these "things" we were. No that we are free, it feels like a weight lifted off of us. We pray God uses us in some way and to teach our children what really is important in life.

God Bless

Janettessage.blogspot.com said...

Beautiful testimony thanks for sharing.

I think in a past post you said you wished you could go back and re-say your wedding vows...I might be wrong, but you wanted to say, "obey" this time...well Kate took "obey" out of the vows today. Funny thing is that I said them but then you also have to learn how to and it has to come from your heart not just your words...you have walk them out through all these years.

Again, great testimony! It is encouraging since we went and still going through this, but we did lose our house, and my husband is 57 and still trying to find steady work...but God is faithful, as you have testified. He makes a way.

Dawn said...

A lot of beauty in this post- as yours always has! I think I am a bit jealous of that garden trellis with the ivy growing over it. I dream of one for my garden.....

Jacque. said...

Kim, I love coming by to visit...everything you write is such a testament to your faith. Love you!

Allison said...

That is a beautiful post. Honest and true. I love it. God bless you and your garden. :)

Cotton Eyed Jo said...

As always, my heart is strengthened by your post. You can paint the picture, and get all the sunlight in, where the rest of us may see shadows. hugs!

Simple Home said...

What a beautiful post Kim! I must admit I really have no idea what I'm doing in my garden most of the time, but the process is wonderful, and if I get any produce from it, that's icing on the cake :-)
Blessings,
Marcia