...but only God who gives the growth.

I'm having so much fun with my first garden this summer. It's so fascinating planting, watering, and watching things grow. Seeing how the begin as a tiny blossom and within days/weeks are a fully ripe fruit or vegetable! I find it amazing!  

This was taken awhile ago. Everything is much more mature now, and my garden appears as a "jungle".

  I have so far harvested a lot of zucchini and green bell peppers. Some tomatoes, (lots more on the way) and a little bit of garlic.

I spent the afternoon shredding and bagging zucchini that had been sitting on my kitchen counter. Just today got around to freezing it.

I used some of it to bake Zucchini Chocolate Cake with Orange Glaze. Found a recipe on Taste of Home's website that was some-what "healthy", for being a chocolate cake ;) Has applesauce, zucchini, walnuts, and I cut down on the sugar and used half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose.

This evening as my cake was baking I went back out to my garden. Found 3 more ripe bell peppers (btw, other than making and freezing spaghetti sauce I'm not sure what to do with all these peppers. Any suggestions??) And dug up some of my potatoes. Obviously some are very tiny! I think they're kinda cute! Planning on making beef stew here soon, so I'll just throw the ity-bity potatoes in there.


Also found a little toad while digging up potatoes!

Another great thing about my garden is all the plants that are there that I didn't plant! Previous renters or last people who planted a garden probably planted them. These things include lots of gorgeous sunflowers scattered randomly throughout. And a pumpkin plant! While I am thankful for these surprise additions, I wasn't planning on them being there when I planted everything else. So they are somewhat in the way, and taking over other plants. Not sure how to deal with this. Tonight, a very large, beautiful sunflower plant was making it difficult to get to my potatoes. So I decided to cut down the flowers and get rid of the plant! So I will be enjoying these lovely sunflowers for a few days! :)

As I was harvesting, weeding, watering, digging, and plucking tonight. As well as filling my freezer with fresh zucchini this afternoon. And in light of the my post earlier today, I couldn't help but think of our dependence on God. While I can till, cultivate, plant, water, weed, tend and labor over my small little garden. I really can't cause anything to grow! My awesome God is who makes my zucchini, peppers, potatoes, and sunflowers grow!
I thought of Paul's analogy in 1 Corinthians 3:7 speaking of souls being saved through the ministry of apostles: "So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth."

I am very thankful for my God's provision of food by blessing my work and causing it to grow!