The first twinge of cool air…a sunny field dotted with fat,
round, orange pumpkins….it finally feels like fall may be on its way.
Mrs. Heather taught the kids the basics of pumpkin-growing,
but I was curious to know more. Is it easy to grow pumpkins? I consulted the
online Old Farmer’s Almanac and discovered that pumpkins are very finicky.
First of all, they’re sensitive to cold, so the farmer has
to be sure the danger of frost has passed. He can’t wait too late, however,
because pumpkins have a long growing season and must be harvested before the
first frost in the fall. (That’s probably not a problem in Louisiana.)
They’re greedy feeders, and they require rich, well- drained
soil. (That means lots of fertilizer, compost, and manure.)
They have to be protected from pesky insects. But wait…don’t
kill the bees, because bees pollinate the pumpkin flowers.
They’re thirsty; they need lots of water, but they can’t
remain damp because they’ll rot.
They have to be regularly pruned, turned, and generally pampered.
All that to say…those beautiful, orange pumpkins we brought
home were the result of someone’s very
hard work. We have our pumpkin pie or jack-o’lanterns or autumn centerpieces
because someone was faithful to do his or her job and see the process through
to the end.
I’m not a farmer or even much of gardener. But like the
farmer, I’ve got obligations. Each of us has responsibilities that God has
assigned to us…. responsibilities to our spouses, our children, our extended
family. We have job responsibilities, church responsibilities, and community
responsibilities. Sometimes those responsibilities are tiresome and demanding.
Sometimes it doesn’t appear we’re making much progress. But God tells us not to
grow weary. There’s a beautiful harvest in our future if we don’t give up.
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