GREENS AND THE PORTABLE PHONE

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.   Philippians 4:13

     Many years ago, before cell phones, we had gotten Mom a portable-wireless phone so that she could roam the house, hang clothes on the line, or go to the garden with her new wireless phone in her apron pocket.

     One day she was out in the garden ‘picking a few greens’.  She fell. Now, Mom was not too far from the ground to begin with due to her being vertically challenged. She had also acquired over the years, some God given padding for such a mishap. And, the garden soil is somewhat forgiving toward those who hurriedly make contact with its greens covered surface.

     Finding herself not hurt except for her pride, there was no one there to observe, so, that aspect did not come into play.  Next chore . . . getting up.  Mom was in her eighties, still active and still working, sitting with old women, as she called it. .  However, having fallen and couldn’t get up, she needed assistance to arise from the surface of the garden upon which she lay.  Nothing seemed close enough to hold onto to right herself. 

     Her younger son, Rickey, who lived next door on the farm, was not at home.  The portable phone was of no value.  My baby sister, Pat, lived several miles away on the other side of town but when she called they did not answer; she was not home. We lived ‘in the city’, an hour and a half away. Alone and down in the greens, Mom had very little help from the phone.  She shared with us later, “I just rolled over and picked some more greens”. 

     On her knees, with a sack full of greens, she worked her way down to the end of the row.  There, at the edge of the garden, she had always planted some castor beans. They kept some type of invaders out of her vegetable reserve.  The castor plants were over six feet tall and sturdier than a corn stalk. Reaching the saving stalk, Mom was able to regain her preferred position, vertical.

     Often, in life, we find ourselves ‘down in the greens’.  At the end of the row or at the ‘end of the day’ we should have planted the salvation more powerful than a beanstalk.  Jesus is always there, in the form of His spirit, to lift us up, dust us off, and present us before God, spotless and clean.  We don’t need a portable phone, a cell phone or any other devise; we have prayer; a direct line to heaven.

      “All this I have spoken while still with you.  But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”  JOHN 14:25-26

Gardening tip: A padded kneeling board with handles which inverts to a sitting surface is a really good garden pal.