Saturday, April 17, 2010

Asparagus

Delicious green stalks lightly seasoned and cooked to perfection...mmmmm...asparagus.

Have you ever grown asparagus?  Neither have I...

But, my in-laws are currently growing it, and I must say it is quite interesting.  (For those of you new to this blog...no, it is not about food nor cooking...the big decision to which the blog name refers is not "What should I make for dinner?"  Look back at one of my very first posts  - the one titled "What's with the name!?!" and you'll find out more about the name of this blog.)

Anyway, back to delectable asparagus...

So, did you know that when you want to grow asparagus and grow it correctly you can't even harvest any of it for about 3 years!?!  Yeah, I know!  I have a hard enough time planting seeds or bulbs and waiting for them to grow (hence, why I don't do that very often).  Wait for THREE YEARS!?!  What!?!

Yes, you have to build a special kind of bed.  Then, you have to of course plant them a certain way.  Then...the waiting.  Oh, now what really makes it worse, in my opinion, is that you actually have to watch them grow each year and wait until their growing season is over, then you have to cut them down and THROW THEM AWAY!  You see, they tell me that the reason you have to do this special LONG process is because you have to let them establish their roots...and very well, at that!  Then, after the roots have had plenty of time to become...well...rooted, then you can begin to enjoy them each season as you have longed to do for soooo long!

Okay, well, I guess I won't be trying to grow asparagus for a while, seeing as how we tend to find ourselves moving long before that 3-year-mark!  Oh, well...one day maybe.

In the meantime, I'll enjoy home-grown asparagus sometime next year when we come for dinner sometime during their growing season.

I just had to share all of this about asparagus because it kind of struck me today as something of a similarity to life.  As hard as it was for me to look at the perfect-looking asparagus stalks earlier this season and know I could not just cut them off and take them inside right then and go cook them for dinner...how much harder is it to wait for so many other things in life?  Just like the asparagus has to establish firmly grounded roots, we have to do the same as well.  Something may seem just right and perfect right now...I may feel sooo ready and prepared and sure about something...BUT, sometimes I need to let things wait.  I need to let my roots get established and strengthened.  I may feel ready and prepared, but just a little longer...or maybe even a lot longer...may truly provide strength and wisdom that I do not yet have.  I need to trust His timing and His plan, as He has proven time and time again in my life. 

That asparagus, by the way, would taste fine right now.  That's not the point.  It would be instanly gratifying...does that sound all-too-familiar!?!  The point of waiting is that, if we did cut the asparagus right now and enjoy it for dinner tonight, we may never have another good asparagus season in the years that follow.  Who knows?  Maybe one more season, maybe not.  Ultimately, because the roots did not have their time to get established as they needed to do, the bed would begin to fail to produce asparagus in the near future. 

Hmmm....again...draw your own comparisons with that one...

Instant gratification for the here-and-now,
or
firmly established roots for a flourishing and satisfying crop for seasons to come!?! 

What's your choice?

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

What does the worker gain from his toil?
I have seen the burden God has laid on men.
He has made everything beautiful in its time.
He has also set eternity in the hearts of men;
yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live.
That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God.
I know that everything God does will endure forever;
nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it.
God does it so that men will revere him.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-14

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love it---love reading what you have to say. So wonderfully said. God does everything in His timing so perfectly.

Robin Prater said...

Good Morning girl=) Come on over to my blog this morning. I have a gift for you!!!

Whidbey Woman said...

Your post brings back fond memories of when we lived in Eastern Washington State. The aspargus grows wild there, along irrigation ditches and between rows of fruit trees. When my children were young, we would go out and pick it- coming home with several grocery bags full. So delicious! and it was one of the few vegetables my kids would eat. :)

Kelee Katillac said...

Yes. Nothing can grow out of season! At least not in a healthy way with the Divine Mind guiding it in its blooming. Very well said and thank-you for the story!

love,kelee

Charlotte said...

I love asparagus. I have no idea how to grow it. This is interesting. I love the scripture about a time for everything. The song with those words in it is one of my favorites. Thank you for sharing with us.
Blessings,
Charlotte

Musings of A Minister said...

I took your challenge. I went back and read your first post. Since it wasn't very long I read the second one. I liked it a lot. However, I thought it was too long. It's just me. I don't like long posts because I think we write them because it is hard work to write shorter ones that say the same thing. I will come back when I have more time and read the other posts until I catch up. The one you posted today is a good one. Thanks for posting. You are a very good writer. I am going to share your blog with a young friend of mine that I am trying to get into blogging. She will like your style of writing and she may find encouragement here to get her started.

Nikki (Sarah) said...

I looooove this. That scripture is what I needed to read this morning. Thank you. Sarah

Susan said...

God spoke to me this week through a fruit tree!!! I love it how He speaks to us all the time if we will but open our eyes and ears to what The Spirit of God is saying.

Renee said...

Great analogy!!! Enjoyed it very much...God bless.

Ginger~~Enchanting Cottage said...

I love grilled asparagus, and do not grow it either. Thank-you for sharing such a beautiful poem.
Blessings,
Ginger

Haelie said...

Ok, so, I FINALLY got a chance to change my comment field settings to where I can actually respond to you all! I do so much appreciate and value each of your input and additions here...even the constructive criticism, which I actually do highly value and respect. (Thanks, Clif ;)) Again, so glad to hear from all of you!