Everyone who has grown any type of garden, either vegetable or flower, knows that not everything we plant grows as it’s supposed to. Some plants that we gingerly place in the ground with high hopes wither away. Some seedlings overtake the garden and surprise us. Others pop up out of nowhere (hellooooo Mystery Pumpkin!). And then there are the plants that look healthy and amazing…until it’s time to produce a harvest. Then…surprise….NOTHING. Hmph.
I recently had this happen, actually. I planted corn this season, and it immediately took off! I was so pleased! It grew and grew, and then it flowered. I thought to myself, “this is going perfectly so far!” as I shook the cornstalks daily to pollinate each one. After waiting a week or so, I began to see the corn cobs forming…YAY! Just like clockwork! I was really getting the hang of this corn growing thing…and feeling pretty great about my developing skills. And then, last week, it was time to harvest some of the cobs! We were excited to have homegrown corn with dinner! We looked forward to that first sweet, crisp, juicy bite.
Once I picked the cobs we wanted to eat, I began to shuck them, and very soon into my endeavor realized something was amiss. I absentmindedly asked myself “Why are these corn cobs so skinny?” I continued shucking until I discovered the answer. The cobs had nearly no edible kernels on them. I was heartbroken (as heartbroken as one gets about corn, but you see where I’m going…). I didn’t want to show them to the kids, knowing they would be disappointed, too. Ugh. Where was the joy I had felt just a moment ago?? It swirled away like a puff of steam. All the time I put into these darn corn cobs, and we couldn’t even enjoy eating them? I was feeling not only a bit deflated, but also frustrated. After all, I had taken time everyday to tend, water, pollinate, and care for these plants, and these measly cobs with underdeveloped kernels {that even the chickens laughed at} were all we got? What a gardening fail!! Or was it??
In my moment of disappointment, I realized something important. Better than that, I was reminded of something I already was aware of, but had forgotten. Here it is: I’m still learning.
That’s right. I am not a gardening expert. I am learning along with you. I thought that I had growing corn down pat, since it went so well the first time. I was not quite accurate. This time, it was a different growing season. After a bit of research, I figured out what had gone wrong with my corn. Did you know that EVERY SINGLE CORN SILK strand is connected to a kernel inside the cob??? And in order for the cob to grow properly, EVERY SINGLE strand of corn silk must be pollinated!!! My daily shaking was enough the first time I grew corn because we were not in a windy season. This time around, however, it was excessively windy (so much so that my corn stalks actually grew a bit sideways!). This made much of the pollen blow away, instead of dropping onto the silks. Bummer!!!! But, the beauty in this newly gained knowledge is that now I know to pollinate much more carefully, plant my corn closer together, and plant more seeds to begin with!!!! The rule for corn is “the more, the merrier!” Ok, then. Lesson learned.
Actually, two lessons learned. One, about the corn. But the second, and possibly more useful to everyday life, lesson I was reminded of is this: We are never done learning and growing. There does not come a point where we know it all and have it all mastered. Even when we have practiced and been successful at something (whether it’s gardening, teaching, listening, loving each other, etc.), our future success is not guaranteed simply based on what happened last time. I am notoriously “not great” at giving myself grace when I have not achieved the outcome I desired. Anyone else? I know it can’t be just me. But this lesson is so important to that effect…we MUST have grace for ourselves, mamas!!!! We know we always try our best, and sometimes things turn out exactly as we planned. But other times, despite our best efforts, things don’t come out the way we want them to, and it is tempting to beat ourselves up about it. But, as my Grandma would say, we “mustn’t.” Because of our constant state of learning, our best effort IS enough. We ARE succeeding. It might not look the way we would like it to all the time, but that’s OK. And we can still live in a state of joy.
I’m so glad my corn didn’t grow properly, the way I had planned for it to. It gave me this golden opportunity to smile at my own shortcomings and remember that I am not perfect. And to remember that I am actually created to be “perfectly imperfect” because I will never know everything. Only God does…and thankfully I don’t have His job! And to know the comfort that comes from that knowledge is amazing. Ahhhh, there it is. The joy flooding back in like the summer breeze. May you rest in this, too. Blessings to you today and always.
Here are a few of my favorite Bible verses to help you remember how precious you truly are.
- Psalm 139:13-16 13For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be
- Proverbs 3:15 15She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.
- Psalm 46:5 5God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.