Glam-nails vs. Garden-nails

I have friends and co-workers who are into the glamorous nails thing.  Even many of my middle school girls are now sporting the artisan versions that are glued on, and more than once I’ve been asked if I have any “super glue” to fix a wayward piece.  (School nurses get asked for all sorts of random things…) 

As nice as they look, I’ve never been good at fingernail etiquette—the paint chips, it looks terrible, and I’m too lazy to fix it!  So I’m resigned to be content with what I have.  By contrast, one sure way you can tell I’m happy is if I have dirt under my fingernails.  A little gross maybe, but true.  It means I’m outside in my garden making a mess, or as Bob calls it, “tearing up the pea-patch.”

I’ve done plenty of tearing up, but have yet to grow any peas.    

What I have grown, with limited success, ranges from begonias to zinnias, (I could say from A to Z, but the astilbe died…)  However, here in the land of Herefords and harvestores, it’s also a noteworthy thing to grow something practical, like food.  So I enjoy my pull at salad mixes such as kale and carrots, a few tomato plants.  Plus, I’ve really enjoyed adding in fresh herbs when making homemade pizza.

A few years ago I had the pleasure of digging up some of the herbs and giving the starts to one of my nieces for her back patio.  The little pots of greenery survived the car ride home to Tulsa and were transplanted in their new home.  Now my niece can share in the gardening love (and she’s a MUCH better cook than I am).

I do love sharing starters like that; it’s not the first time, and I’ve been on the receiving end as well.  The important thing about a “start” is that it’s just that—a start, as opposed to a finished product.  By definition, it needs some TLC to get rooted and producing properly.  

Interestingly, God refers to our faith in a similar way:

“…as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.”

“…fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith,…”

It seems that we are given a starter portion of faith.  Just like I’ve learned that there’s more to gardening than throwing in a few seeds and expecting a great harvest, I realize I have an important part to play in my faith as well.  Although Jesus is the One to bring this faith to full fruition, it’s up to me to plant it deeply, fertilize the soil with experience, feed it with truth, water it with fellowship.  There is discipline involved in growing my faith.  And not something to be haphazard about.

Unlike my nonchalant nail care.  (Just pass me the clippers.)

 

Romans 12:3; Hebrews 12:2 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

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