The Unseen Hope.

(The Good Good Gardener - Journal Entry #7)

Journal Entry #7: 5/12/25

Good evening!

I come bearing good reports. After 8 ½ bags of organic soil, layers of crumbled Trader Joes bags, a random mix of compost, and cupfuls of fertilizer later… we have officially finished our box bed garden! But before I dig into some reflection, I’d love to first walk you through today’s adventure—because I’m completely captivated by the hand of Jesus in it all.

After getting off work around noon, I met up with Lindsay at Armstrong Garden Center on my way home. Though we only needed a few extra bags of soil, we couldn’t help but spend nearly an hour mesmerized by the abundance of vibrant flowered plants. With the heat wave now behind us, the clouds kissed the valley with a gentle, cool embrace. Even though we had just visited the day before, it felt like all the plants had suddenly grown more colorful overnight—we simply didn’t want to leave.

Our purchase ended up being just two extra bags of soil. But when we got home and dumped them into the bed, the reality hit—we still didn’t have enough. I honestly couldn’t believe it. Sitting there, I kept asking Jesus in my heart, “But Lord, we need more soil?” So there we sat, realizing we’d need another two or three bags to fully fill the bed. Those silly little watermelons—they require so much depth!

Isn’t it funny, though? The bigger the fruit, the deeper the roots must go—which means it takes a lot more space and a lot more soil for them to really thrive.