Our Last Surviving Tomato

The Last Tomato

We stopped watering our garden over a month ago when the city started enforcing watering restrictions. The tomato plants were about through producing and were looking pretty sorry and soon were pitifully dried up, with just a few marble-sized green tomatoes clinging to the vines.

Then after all summer with no rain we got a whole inch last week and when I let the dog out a couple of days later, I noticed something red on one of the tomato plants. I was shocked to see this one little ripe tomato survivor, just waiting to be picked.

It reminded me of the last days of this earth's history. The Bible says there will be a "time of trouble" (Daniel 12:1). Amos says in ch. 8:11 that there will be a famine, but not of bread, and not a thirst of water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. But a remnant survives, those with the patience of the saints. Revelation 14:12

So, I honor my patient little "remnant" tomato. It gives me faith and courage that God will see us through to the end, even through enormous trials and persecutions.

Worth the Work

I froze some tomatoes and green peppers from the garden today. It will be so nice to have them later on in soups and chili. They taste so much better than the store-bought ones. Even with all the hard to work to prepare the soil, do the planting, weeding, watering, and prep for the freezer, they are worth it.

It's like that with many of our life's accomplishments though. The more work you put into a project, the sweeter and more profitable it turns out to be. And looking at my own life, the harder I struggle and the more difficult my lot appears to be, I can still rely on a reward in heaven that God has promised when I trust and love Him. All my struggles will be worth it on that great resurrection morning.

ripening up just fine, despite the heat wave outside

(like me, ripening up for heaven)

How High Are Your Tomatoes?

I was lamenting the fact that we didn't get our garden in sooner after seeing some of the harvested vegetables some of our friends are already enjoying. Isn't it a risk to plant before the last predicted frost date though? I guess some daring folks like to get a head start, and now I see the benefits of early-bird gardening. We could have started a month earlier too and already be having fresh, homegrown food on OUR table!

Then I also saw that some friends are just now getting their gardens in. Believe it or not, it's not too late to get in on the planting frenzy. I'm assuming they will have a bountiful harvest also, but will just have to wait longer for that first flavor-oozing morsel.

Whether you plant early or late, the final result is much the same. Although I have to admit that those early-birds are probably such conscientious gardeners that I'm sure they are guaranteed a premium crop. Besides, their garden won't have to battle the full heat of summer.

We are all gardeners when it comes to life actually. We are sowing character seeds every day that will bear fruit--for good or evil. The later you start sowing the good seeds, the harder you will have to battle the weeds and the heat. But it is possible to overcome those obstacles and still have a bountiful garden at any stage of your life.

The common question we are all asking this time of year:
How high are YOUR tomatoes?