Daddy's Hands

Psalms 96:1-3

"Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, Praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare His glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all people."

Every year at this time, I get an itch to have the Southern Homes and Garden landscape in my yard. I am not exactly sure what seems to transpire from the time I visualize this decadent and colorful garden in spring to the end of the summer. At the end of summer I still have the same weeds, they have just multiplied and I have no sign of that beautiful garden that I dreamt of. I have even tried having a vegetable garden...let's just say if we had to depend on my gardening skills, we would starve.

My Dad on the the other hand loves to garden. Man do I love to watch him! He begins preparing his garden rows early in February and on Good Friday he will plant. With every seed being placed in a small hole and covered, he reminds us of how God produces many vegetables from one seed. He will then proceed to tell us that he needs help when it its time to weed the rows and pick the harvest. He begins with an army while planting, but when the real work begins.....the army dwindles. What an analogy! We as Christians are a lot like the army, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few". 

Dad is also a Timber Producer and has been for almost 60 years. He is the most godly man I know. He uses his garden, the pine trees and all of creation to teach us of God's love for him and for us and he does it so subtly! When I was a little girl Dad always reminded my brothers and I to pay close attention to the pine trees around Easter and he still does to this day. 

Scripture tells us that ALL of creation will praise God, The Creator. Psalms 96: 1-13a, "Say among the nations, 'The Lord reigns.' The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity. Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy; they will sing before the Lord, for he comes." Even creation recognizes Jesus' death on the cross, His burial and it celebrates His RESURRECTION! You see, the pine trees sing glory to God by producing crosses in the tops of the trees. It is one of the most amazing things to take notice of and yet so humbling.

Those crosses are a reminder of God's grace and His mercy to me as a sinner. A sinner who has been forgiven, redeemed, justified and free of condemnation! Romans 8:1-2, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death." I am so thankful for an earthly Dad who has been so encouraging and who has taught my brothers and I and now our children to stand in awe not only for creation, but the CREATOR....GOD, all by working with his hands. I have watched him through the years rejoice and sing praises to God, I have watched him being a laborer for the harvest of God's Kingdom. He is a simple man and a man of few words, he works with his hands, but I am telling you His love for God SHOUTS! 

I challenge you to pay close attention to creation...especially now with all of the newness! How many tomatoes can you harvest from one seed? How many crosses will you notice in the pine trees? God is is at work all around us, make yourself aware of God's goodness, sing to the Lord....just like Dad!