Final Harvest

By Carol Woolum Roberts

Today I harvested the vegetables from my garden that were still growing.  Temperatures are supposed to get cooler in the next few days, and rain is expected, so I decided I would pick the remaining tomatoes, zucchini, and cucumbers.

I have left a few things out there for a later day, that may sustain the colder temperatures.

This time in the garden is always a hard time, especially when things are still looking so beautiful.  Some plants were still looking healthy and producing.  Flowers are still looking vibrant in the sunshine, even though they have been neglected for the past few weeks.

I was surprised to see my fragile impatiens flowers still thriving.  They are usually one of the first flowers to be killed off by the frost. I also finally had my hibiscus bloom.

Paul and I recorded this week’s episode of our Dreams and Bones podcast today, and we were talking about having a time of Weekly Awareness, and how being aware of what is happening around us also helps us have more gratitude about what is happening around us.

As I picked each tomato, each zucchini, each cucumber, I said thank you to each plant who provided us with delicious vegetables this summer.  What a bountiful harvest we had this year. 

This time of year always reminds me of the lyrics to the song “All Good Gifts” from one of my favorite musicals “Godspell”. 

We plow the fields and scatter the good seed on the land..
But it is fed and watered by God's almighty hand..
He sends us snow in winter, the warmth to swell the grain...
The breezes and the sunshine, and soft refreshing rain...
All good gifts around us
Are sent from Heaven above
So thank the Lord, oh thank the Lord for all his love...
We thank thee then, O Father, for all things bright and good
The seedtime and the harvest, our life our health our food
No gifts have we to offer for all thy love imparts
But that which thou desirest, our humble thankful hearts!
All good gifts around us
Are sent from Heaven above..
So thank the Lord, oh thank the Lord for all his love..
I really wanna thank you Lord!

I have been singing the lyrics to this song, and this musical for close to 50 years.  And my favorite line is…

No gifts have we to offer for all thy love imparts
But that which thou desirest, our humble thankful hearts!

I want this harvest season to remind me to have a humble, thankful heart, because we are surround by all The Creator’s good and perfect gifts, sent from heaven above.

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What do you like about harvest time?

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