fruitful spaces
Zechariah 3:10 “’In that day each of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and fig tree,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”
Kathy's Mini-vineyard
Grapefruit Blossoms
Nadine's Pink Grapefruit
Project Concept:
Micah 4:4 “Every man will sit under his own vine and under his own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, for the Lord Almighty has spoken.”
Fruit and the fruit trees symbolize of a life of abundance, spirituality and peace – gifts from God. God generously gives this miraculous gift to all – including the nonbelieving and the unrighteous. Enjoying the fruits of our labor with contentment and peace in our hearts grows from our ongoing relationship with our Creator. Fruitfulness is a symbol of a godly life, active spirituality, nourishing (and pleasing) to those around us. “Fruitful Spaces” illustrates the fruitfulness in our personal spaces, the “vine and fig tree” growing in the yard or on the patio. The images also illustrate God’s work in our lives: His fruit beyond our “productivity” - a difference only recently brought to my attention. We plant, water and weed, but the miracle is all God’s.
Almost any humble patch of yard or sunny space can host the miracle of food just popping up out of the ground. We watch food grow in backyard gardens, patio containers, window boxes and other personal spaces. Florida hosts a greater homegrown variety of fruit (beyond citrus): mangoes, papaya, bananas, starfruit, pineapples, pecans, avocados, and more. Creativity in use of space and choice of fruit is inspiring.
Joy in the harvest is universal. A solitary pineapple harvested from a home-sprouted plant is a cause of celebration. Recently, one of our deacons gave an interesting (and relevant) homily involving his success with a reluctant grapefruit tree.
God’s generosity in providing luscious food from a patch of dirt (with regular applications of rain and sun) becomes contagious—home gardeners everywhere share their harvest with family, friends and neighbors.
The images will be about the fruits, the trees, the plants, and the places. The rest is up to those who see them.
Peace be with you!
—Leigh