Looking Into Gardens

No matter what is going on in our coronavirus world, Molly and I find particular blessings in our being "confined to quarters" here in "Covenant Living."

When our ministry friends, Roger and Dottie Anderson, were persuading us to come to this Covenant Church facility in Golden Valley, Roger wrote a long letter about steps we should take. "You will want to be in the courtyard," he wrote.

They were on the sixth floor and we fortunately found an apartment (800 sq ft) on the second floor, also looking down into the courtyard. While dear Roger crossed over a couple of years ago, and Dottie had followed him to Presbyterian Homes in Bloomington, and still lives there, we have learned to be grateful for their good advice.

We are on the east side of the circular courtyard, facing west, with lovely afternoon sun. Morning, these days, comes early into "dawn's early light" hitting the apartments opposite us.

We take our lunch in a little window alcove where the quiet courtyard below us welcomes, day by day, a little more of springtime. Yesterday, we watched one of our good Ethiopian groundskeepers laying out the hose and starting the sprinkler systems. Today the small pond basin is half full. Not only that, but the tree below our window is already pushing out the buds of tiny green leaves. It will soon blossom into a lovely flowering tree. Each day has a little bit of progress.

It is God's work and we marvel at the wonder of it. In fact, it is a sweet, eternal reminder of Who really is in charge of our world, and of us. It is God's world. And His trees WILL FLOWER!

And so will we! Our masks are temporary. The threat of virus is not forever. The very earth encourages us.

We can't help but remember God's hands that hold us, and His intentions that were already planned for our lives. And He will make us ready when He comes.
 
That eternal truth makes all the difference as we live out these waiting days, praying for release into life. The garden helps us to remember to think about the good things, the God things.

Bless you as you too, watch the spring coming, and rejoice in the wonder of it as it comes. The Risen Christ is behind it all.

Love to you.