• Home
  • About
  • Books
    • My Father is the Gardener
    • God’s Word for Gardeners Bible
  • Devotions Blog
  • Events
  • News
  • Plant Guide
  • Potting Bench
    • Journal Questions for My Father is the Gardener
    • A-to-Z Primer of Plants from God’s Word
    • Series of 7 Studies
    • Plant Index – God’s Word for Gardeners
    • Bible Plant Research
    • Garden in Delight Proclamation
  • Contact
  • Search

Mobile Menu

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • About
  • Books
    • My Father is the Gardener
    • God’s Word for Gardeners Bible
  • Devotions Blog
  • Events
  • News
  • Plant Guide
  • Potting Bench
    • Journal Questions for My Father is the Gardener
    • A-to-Z Primer of Plants from God’s Word
    • Series of 7 Studies
    • Plant Index – God’s Word for Gardeners
    • Bible Plant Research
    • Garden in Delight Proclamation
  • Contact
  • Search
  • Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content

Garden In Delight

Grow your garden, flourish your faith

Header Left

  • Home
  • About
  • Books
    • My Father is the Gardener
    • God’s Word for Gardeners Bible
  • Devotions Blog
  • Events
  • News
  • Plant Guide
  • Potting Bench
    • Journal Questions for My Father is the Gardener
    • A-to-Z Primer of Plants from God’s Word
    • Series of 7 Studies
    • Plant Index – God’s Word for Gardeners
    • Bible Plant Research
    • Garden in Delight Proclamation
  • Contact
  • Search
  • Home
  • About
  • Books
    • My Father is the Gardener
    • God’s Word for Gardeners Bible
  • Devotions Blog
  • Events
  • News
  • Plant Guide
  • Potting Bench
    • Journal Questions for My Father is the Gardener
    • A-to-Z Primer of Plants from God’s Word
    • Series of 7 Studies
    • Plant Index – God’s Word for Gardeners
    • Bible Plant Research
    • Garden in Delight Proclamation
  • Contact
  • Search

A Garden’s Gifts

Home » Garden Moments » A Garden’s Gifts
a bow tied on a garden pot reminds that the garden is full of gifts

by Shelley S. Cramm In: Garden Moments on Dec 5, 2019

Christmas time is here and with it, the joy-mixed-with-bewilderment at finding just-perfect gifts for our loved ones. Have no fear! Already your garden knows precisely what to give you: Work, patience, and satisfaction. Hmmm, do I remember asking for these…??

They are presents not likely to be on a “wish list,” and not easily set in pretty paper under the tree—although you might find them wrapped up in ongoing chores under the trees planted in your garden! God’s Word has much to say on the essential, soul-filling nature of this trio, and seems to have hidden them as surprise gifts in the care and tending of gardens. Join me in my clean up today and let’s unwrap these gifts together.

Work

When God set Adam in the garden to work it and take care of it, there was purpose beyond the poetry. After all, planting a garden is a near-angelic idea until the weeds take over or it is time to tidy up. Yet work strengthens us. Work develops our skills. Work engages us productively. Work moves us to the holy ground of greater understanding and endearing commitment. In other words, through work we grow in mind, heart, and spirit. It is a gift.

raking leaves part of garden work
Raking leaves: One of the works uniting all gardeners during the fall! 3 actions to choose from: 1) DON’T! Leave leaves under shrubs and surrounding perennials, as they will insulate plants against winter’s chill; 2) Shred them via a mulching mower or blower set in reverse position; it is still a good idea to surround plants in the leaves, yet shredded material will have a more orderly appearance and break down quicker; or 3) Rake and take them to the compost pile. Leaves are a golden treasure if you consider compost to be “black gold!*”

David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you.
1 Chronicles 28:20 NIV

The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more.
Matthew 25:16 NIV

Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort.
1 Corinthians 15:58 The Message

To enjoy your work and to accept your lot in life—that is indeed a gift from God.
Ecclesiastes 5:19 TLB

Patience

Planting bulbs must be the prettiest metaphor to picture patience! Catalog images or the vivid delight from last spring’s visit to a local public garden is all that is needed to nourish the mind’s eye, and tuck these otherwise unremarkable lumps into the ground and wait for their beautiful bloom. Water and wait. Mulch and wait. Shiver and wait, in winter’s wind and bluster. Shovel and wait, as snowfall covers and drifts. In waiting our strength is renewed, our resolve forged.

holy land bulbs await planting in the fall garden
Planting Bulbs: Most of you have already finished this work, yet southern gardeners are just getting to it (…probably I’m a bit behind!!). Bulbs go in the ground just ahead of consistently freezing temperatures overnight. Soak bulbs before planting for best results, and dust the holes you dig with bone meal fertilizer. And wait patiently for spring!

For ye have need of patience
Hebrews 10:36 KJV

This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.
Revelation 14:12

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.
Psalm 27:14 NIV

…but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31 ESV

Satisfaction

Pleased, full, filled, content—not pressed or fettered: Free. Satisfaction is beyond the all-out riot of fun and frenzied feast; it is the gentle, glowing hold of quiet confidence that liberates. It is the Lord’s gracious gesture, from the well of His soul-loving Presence, a gift that establishes as our adoring trust of Him takes hold.

winter colors for a garden's gifts
Winter Reveal: The winter season ushers in garden subtlety, giving the chance to notice colors and forms that are normally backseat to the commanding attention of spring growth, summer flowers, and fall fruits. It is a season to be content in simple things, like the lacy, intricate indentations of ‘ruby streaks’ mustard leaves, and the way gold violas give a nod to the mustard flowers’ color which will bolt gloriously when the weather warms up again.

I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.
Deuteronomy 11:5 NIV

For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness.
Psalm 107:9 NKJV

Right will build a home in the fertile field. And where there’s Right, there’ll be Peace and the progeny of Right: quiet lives and endless trust. My people will live in a peaceful neighborhood— in safe houses, in quiet gardens.
Isaiah 40:31 The Message

The result of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quiet confidence forever.
Isaiah 40:31 HCSB

…it’s the rich simplicity of being yourself before God.
1 Timothy 6:6 The Message

We have a “profit” that is greater than theirs—our holy awe of God!
1 Timothy 6:6 TPT

A Garden’s Gifts

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me**….a place to work, to practice patience, to know satisfaction…no wonder our True Love gave us a garden!

And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden
Genesis 2:8 RSV
Adonai, God, took the person and put him in the garden of ‘Eden to cultivate and care for it.
Genesis 2:15 CJB
I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.
Isaiah 45:3 NIV

PostScript

*for more information on why compost is considered “black gold,” click to see www.natureswayresources.com/DocsPdfs/blackgold.pdf

**words from the classic Christmas song “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” c. 1780

God's Word for Gardeners Bible in herbs

Find devotions on Work Ethic from the Garden Tools section in God’s Word for Gardeners Bible, beginning on page a-38

Photo Credits:
©2019 Shelley S. Cramm

Soft green pottery from Jackson’s Home & Garden, a perfect garden gift! Filled with butter yellow pansies, and Narcissis tazetta ‘avalanche’ tucked in for spring delight. I love to use Arizona cypress ‘Carolina sapphire’ branches as decorative mulch. In the background, notice ‘Olive Martini’ Elaeagnus shrubs from Southern Living Plant Collection

Holy Land bulbs from Brent & Becky’s Bulbs, clockwise from top – Tulipa ‘Marilyn,’ Anemone coronaria ‘Governor,’ and Narcissus tazetta ‘Avalanche’ – topped off by a garlic bulb that sprouted in my kitchen drawer…I guess it would rather be in the garden, too!

Brassica juncea ‘Ruby Streaks’ mustard or mizuna is easy to grow from seed, also growing in popularity among edibles offered at the garden center

FacebookTwitterShare

Related Posts

You may be interested in these posts from the same category.

snake plant hints to what Eve should have said

What Eve Should Have Said

decorating with evergreens from a local nursery Christmas trees display

Decorating with Evergreens

garden calling with flowers and vegetables in a Minnesota backyard

Garden Calling

poppy seeds to sow seeds in the Bible

Seed Story Catalog

garden communion, two olive wood cups with wine and bread in front of hyssop plant

Garden Communion

garden chores are metaphors

Garden Chores are Metaphors

The Bride's Garden meme with henna blossoms

The Bride’s Garden

definition of 'Eden snipped from Blue Letter Bible website

A Garden Named for Jesus

garden glimpses of God at San Antonio Botanical Garden Sacred Garden

Garden Glimpses of God

Good Figs in Jeremiah 24

garden wheat with arugula flowers

Preparing for Pentecost

Where can wisdom be found? Not in this almond tree!

“Where Can Wisdom Be Found?”

« Previous
Next »
  • A-to-Z Primer of Plants from God’s Word
  • About Shelley S. Cramm
  • Bible Plant Research
  • Blog
  • Book Table
  • Books
  • Checkout
  • Contact
  • Continuing the Biblical Botanical Gift Book Series
  • Devotions Blog
  • Events
  • Events & Speaking
  • Family Garden
  • First Chapter – My Father is the Gardener
  • Garden in Delight Proclamation
  • God’s Word for Gardeners Bible
  • Home
  • In the News garden in Delight links
  • Journal Questions for My Father is the Gardener
  • Modern Calendars Page
  • News
  • Plant Guide
  • Plant Index – God’s Word for Gardeners
  • Potting Bench
  • Resources
  • Series of 7 Studies
  • Speaking Calendar
  • Speaking Topics
  • test events

Site Footer

Garden in Delight - with Author Shelley Cramm
FacebookInstagramPinterestLinkedInVimeoYouTube Channel

Copyright © 2025 · Isaac Gardens, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Website by Stormhill Media
Log in