The Privileged Life: A Backyard Invasion…with a Promise

“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.” 1 Corinthians 3:6

It’s as if an alien force has landed in our backyard. Green. Alive. Huge. Smothering our grass. Creeping up against our house.

And, I invited it here.

It’s a crop of butternut squash. Gone berserk.

When I started our little vegetable garden in May, I carefully planned out the growing areas to allow room for tomatoes, herbs, greens, and a few flowers. Inside the plot boundaries is our compost bin, where I deposit kitchen cuttings and scraps. 

On a whim one evening, while I tossed the innards of a butternut squash into the compost, I held back four of the seeds and stuck them into the dirt next to the bin. Usually, I have a way of killing most plants and flowers in my care. But I gambled that one of these butternut seeds might sprout.

Fast forward six weeks later—we now have curling vines and leaves that carpet more than 200 square feet of our backyard grass. They spill out and slither around the garden, shoving aside the greens and herbs. Hidden underneath the square-foot-sized leaves are at least a dozen fledgling squashes, giving us prospects for soup* and oven-roasted butternut bites in our future. Let’s call them UFO’s…Unidentified Frying Objects.

I’m always a little awed by the power of plants, especially the super-giant redwoods or even skinny little bean runners with curlicue tendrils for grasping anything. Don’t get me started on kudzu or the insect-eating varieties like Venus flytraps…those are just really creepy. 

But who knew four little squash seeds could produce such incredible growth?

Jesus spoke often about planting seeds (see several of His parables in Matthew 13). In the one about the sower, He explains that the seed is the word of God—the good news about His kingdom and His salvation. 

All of His seeds are good. The type of “soil” that receives it, however, will determine their viability. Seeds can’t produce anything until they’re planted, and they won’t produce in unsuitable dirt. Jesus implies that our heart-soil needs to be prepared for fruitfulness.

An important tenet of this story is that this farmer is faithful to sow. He scatters seed everywhere, into the good ground and the not-so-good spots, for an unknown harvest.

Have you ever felt as if your attempts at evangelism are tossed out on barren ground, falling on deaf ears, or invisible to blind eyes? Have you been discouraged by seeing little or no fruit for your efforts? I have. When I do, I find I’m not looking at the whole picture.

The apostle Paul set things straight with the Corinthians, as you’ll see in the verse at the beginning of this blog. He “planted,” and another church leader Apollos “watered.” But the growth and harvest are God’s doing. His Holy Spirit is responsible for the outcome.

How do we respond? With the faithfulness of Paul and Apollos. We sow. We water. We wait. We watch. We pray. 

Jesus knew that His word would not return to Him void or empty; it would accomplish what He pleased, prospering in the purpose for which He sent it (see Isaiah 55:11).

This is such a wonderful promise for all of us. We have no power over the final “harvest” of souls. We might be among those who plant seeds, those who water, or those who reap—or among all three—completely dependent on God for the yield. 

That’s really comforting, because we don’t have to worry about how things turn out. We simply need to obey His commandment to share His good news with others. He is sovereign to call His children to Him. They are in His hands.

You, too, can be a sower, cultivator, or reaper for Christ. Look for the opportunities He gives you every day, divine appointments where He invites you to step into His kingdom work. Don’t be afraid to scatter seeds of truth. You might wind up seeing an abundant crop! Like our butternut squash!

Jesus, I am so thankful You are the Author of abundance. I am grateful for Your calling to join You in Your kingdom growth. Please open my eyes and heart to see where You need me to share Your truth with others. Grant me the courage to act on those encounters. In Your name, with rejoicing in Your harvest, Amen.

Note: I recently blogged on the amazing inside-the-birdhouse glimpse of God’s handiwork—a peek into the nesting lifecycles of tree swallows and bluebirds in our backyard. I’m happy to report that bluebirds have grown up! Only took four weeks from eggs to flying out of the nest! Here’s the last photo I got of them still in the birdhouse—the camera lens was fogged, but you can still see their bright black eyes… https://lightbournecreative.com/2023/07/25/the-privileged-life-backyard-miracles/

#backyardaliens #butternutsquash #butternutsoup #sowingseeds #parablesofChrist #evangelismexplosion #parables #bluebirds

© Copyright 2023 Nancy C. Williams, Lightbourne Creative (text and photography)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

To learn more about the grace of Jesus Christ, go to this page: https://lightbournecreative.com/good-news-for-you/

*Here’s a really good butternut squash soup recipe I modified from one I found online—great for fall soup weather. I hope I’ll still have some squash by then!

Butternut Squash Soup

• 3 to 4 tablespoons butter
• 6 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (one medium squash with seeds discarded)
• 2 cups chopped carrots (six carrots)
• 2 cups chopped sweet onion (one medium/large onion)
• Optional: 1 or 2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (or more, to taste)
• Freshly ground pepper
• Dash of nutmeg, to taste
• 4 cups chicken broth (32-oz. carton)
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• Fresh parsley or dill weed, chopped

Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add squash, carrots, onion, (optional potatoes), salt, pepper, and nutmeg; sauté for 12-15 minutes. Add chicken broth and wine; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until veggies are soft. Remove from heat. Use immersion blender to purée all ingredients in pot. (Or—place half of squash mixture in a blender, keeping blender lid loose or with center removed to allow steam to escape, covered with paper towel. Blend until smooth; repeat with second half, then return to cleaned pot.) Stir in half-and-half. Keep on low heat until ready to serve. Top with garnish of chopped fresh parsley or dill; serve with bread or cheese-topped crackers. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.