Patience Does Produce Fruit

Let me tell you that gardening is my least favorite pastime in the world. I would rather clean dirty toilets than go outside and pull weeds and plant things. Growing up we had the weekly task of doing the yard as a family and I hated it! I don't like dirt, I don't like bugs and the two just go hand in hand. Most of all I don't have the patience to watch things grow or the time to take care of them. So what in the world has happened to change my views? First of all I realized that working outside to beautify the yard was much more fulfilling as a housewife and mother because at least when I worked outside the fruits of my labors were at least evident for a few days. As a mother who is constantly cleaning and cooking, the inside of the house only stays pretty for a few minutes.

Okay, it's true that I am still getting over the whole bugs and weeding. But the kids and I started a container garden. Why a container garden? Two reason: the first, I was too lazy and uneducated to know how to even start a garden bed; and the second, I could control pests and bug in a container better than in a garden bed. So back in April before I left for a quick trip home to Jacksonville I planted some lettuce, carrots, corn, green beans, watermelon, cherry tomatoes, and some herbs (parsley & rosemary). I made my husband promise to water the seeds for the 10 days I was gone.

Slowly but surely the plants have taken off. The kids and I have watered them faithfully and now almost 6 weeks later look what I have.
Corn, I just started growing these out of pure humor, not really thinking they would grow. Now who has the last laugh...I know that was corny...
I grew tomatoes because Xavi loves them and eats them by the container full. These are suppose to be cherry tomatoes but they are huge!

My green beans mixed with some carrots. I don't know if this will work together but we'll find out. So far, so good.

My lettuce I grew them in a colander, perhaps they'll be enough for one bowl of salad!

We started to grow watermelon, six in total. Veronica got a hold of them all and pulled them out of their containers. I was able to save one and it is growing nicely. The woman at the garden shop told me that watermelon is probably the easiest thing to grow as they require little attention.

So the inside of my house may be a mess but when I look at my back deck and see these beautiful plants I feel that I have accomplished something in my daily tasks. Yes, patience does produce fruit. Thank you Lord for this bounty!