Dad and His Morning Glories!

My Dad liked Morning Glories. If he had had his way, there would have been Morning Glories in the garden every year.

My Mom DOES NOT (great emphasis added😂) like Morning Glories. If she even sees a sprig of a start of the flower, she plucks it up.

On many occasions through the years, I would catch Dad with a seed packet in his hands. I’m sure my eyebrow was raised when I asked, “Hey, Dad! Watcha got there?” With a look of guilty pleasure he would show me the package.

After a few weeks passed, I would happen upon Mom out in the garden bent over and muttering, “I hate these things!”

Perhaps I smirked. I don’t know—maybe I played it cool and acted shocked. “The birds must bring these Morning Glory seeds into the garden. I’ve been pulling them everywhere this morning!!” (Still makes me laugh to this day!)

I suppose this not-so-secret feud played out for years. Dad planting his seeds, Mom plucking them up.

I have to be honest. I was really tickled to see a very random Morning Glory in the garden this week. If I had been a little more faithful with weed eating this summer, I probably wouldn’t have seen it at all. I wondered to myself, “Could this possibly be one of Dad’s scattered seeds after all this time?”

That got me thinking about other seeds Dad scattered throughout his life. Seeds of eternal salvation in Jesus Christ that he sowed in his children, grandchildren, great and great-great grandchildren.

Seeds of encouragement that he gave to all of us as we struck off into life and work and pursuits.

Seeds of work ethic and a can-do spirit.

Seeds of kindness and respectfulness of other people.

Seeds of ingenuity and smart abilities when approaching unusual or difficult tasks. (“Know your tools!”)

Seeds of love of family—starting with faithful and mutually submissive love for his wife and partner in love and ministry.

Seeds of community involvement and volunteerism.

In his own way, Dad was every bit as much of a gardener as my mother is. He was always willing to “dig his hands into the dirt” that was his family and community garden. I hope and pray that we can and will follow his leadership on that front.

Let’s get out there and be generous sowers of good stuff—the Good News that Jesus is the answer we need. Kindness and respect for others. Love and active involvement with family young and old.