“I want patience, and I want it now!” This is a common human frailty that many of us need to work on.

Slow internet connections, getting to a doctor’s office on time only to be asked to wait an hour or two, and planting a seed knowing it will take months to bear fruit; all are tests in patience.

Then there are the larger challenges like serious illnesses or relationship issues.

Now that it is Springtime according to the calendar, I watch my little baby vegetables and flowers as they sprout their initial cotyledons (embryonic leaves) and then later the true leaves.

Observing the little sprouts as they emerge from the soil under the grow lights is exciting! It’s a little bit nerve-wracking with the realization that they need to be three or four feet taller before bearing their delicious bounty.

“Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door. As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful” (Job 5:7-11 NASB).

This seed-sowing endeavor is a good method to grow my patience, which is actually a fruit itself (Galatians 5:22). It is planted and nurtured in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. I can only imagine his care in growing our patience!

My tomatoes are now being carefully tended under a grow light. The way plants are designed, they will grow toward the light source so that they can accomplish the photosynthesis that gives them strength to survive and to thrive.

I am “cheating the system” in a way, because I want tomatoes before they are naturally ready in Tennessee. My earliest tomato was April 30, 2 years ago -– with some hothouse-grown plants that were already blooming when I bought them.

These little tomatoes surely won’t be ready for harvest in April, but I’m hoping for the luscious red delights in May. The grow lights will allow them to get enough light in the day to grow as naturally as possible without turning long and spindly.

Without the adequate light that they normally would get later in the season, the little seedlings would grow tall and leggy, with little foliage. The plants would employ natural growth habits that would cause them to rise above nearby competing plants to get to the sunlight.

Of course there is no competing growth in the neatly planted flats, but they don’t recognize that. They do what they were designed to do. The early introduction of artificially produced long daylight hours will allow them to develop strong stems and plentiful leaves, since they won’t feel starved for light and seek it out up higher.

While the gardener may not be patient enough to wait until August for tomatoes, the plants exhibit patience in growing in the way they are designed, with or without an added boost of a gardener’s care.

It is a lesson for us to use the resources we have, and to be content with them as we strive for better.

by Christine Berglund @ www.forthright.net