Planting Potatoes

When I was a boy growing up we had several
gardens around our old house. The largest one of all
was used just for growing potatoes.
I can still remember those potato planting days.

The whole family helped. After my Dad had tilled the soil,
my Mom, brothers, and I went to work.

 It was my
job to drop the little seed potatoes in the rows while
my Mom dropped handfuls of fertilizer beside them.
My brothers then covered them all with the freshly
turned earth.

For months afterward I would glance over at the
garden while I played outside and wonder what was
going on underneath the ground.

When the harvest
time came I was amazed at the huge size of the
potatoes my Dad pulled out of the soil.

Those little
seedlings had grown into bushels and bushels of
sweet sustenance. They would be turned into meal
after meal of baked potatoes, mashed potatoes,
fried potatoes, and my personal favorite: potatoes
slowed cooked in spaghetti sauce. They would keep
the entire family well fed throughout the whole year.

It truly was a miracle to behold.
Thinking back on those special times makes me
wonder how many other seeds I have planted in
this life that have grown unseen in the hearts and
minds of others.

How many times has God used
some little thing that I said or did to grow something
beautiful? How many times has Heaven used these
little seedlings to provide another’s soul with sweet
sustenance?

Every single day of our lives we step out into the
garden of this world. Every single day we plant
seeds that can grow into something wonderful. We
may never see the growth that comes from the kind
words or loving acts we share but God does. I hope
then that you always tend the garden around you
with care. I hope that you plant only goodness,
peace, and compassion in the lives of everyone you
meet. I hope that everyday you help miracles to
grow.