A favorite Bible verse...
Song of Solomon 2:12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.
Gardening has always given me a sense of well-being and a connection to something greater than myself. We have faith that our seeds will grow, that our tender plants will make it through all kinds of weather, that rain will come. I have devoted a part of my yard to a prayer garden of sorts. It is a place where I can go and feel the world slip away. Be still with nature, so to speak. This place is the first place I go, when I am out gardening and the last place I visit when I'm tired. I love to sit on my bench and just be quiet. Shhhh...listen to nature. The little birds come to visit, when I am quiet. A hummingbird may come close, the delightful chickadees flit about and wonder if I'm going to fill the feeders, the blue jays call from the tops of trees and the sparrows and finches are everywhere. I have tried to plant the border with things that will show from the house. On days in the spring or winter and I can't get back there...I can see the colors from my patio doors. I have garden ornaments that lead my on my spiritual path. A statue of St. Francis, one of St. Fiacre (the patron saint of gardening) angels and in the front of the house a statue of the Virgin Mary. Garden crosses, stone grottoes, or ornate pedestals can also add to the spiritual peace that a prayer garden offers.I don't know much about other religions symbols, but maybe rock formations are spiritual for some...a thought just came into my head...how about stepping stones with family members names on them? The peaceful gardens of the Japanese have many stone formations and statues. Quiet water fountains and peaceful bird statuary. Religious plants come to mind..Jacob's Ladder, Lilies, Roses, Rose of Sharon, Lily of the Valley. When you are planning your garden for next year...give this post a thought. A place to sit when you are bone tired...a place to meditate...a place to pray.
Balisha
