Plowing

Saw farmers are being to prepare their fields here in the northern states.
After sharing this poem this morning, read Isaiah 28:24-29.

When a farmer plows for planting, does he plow continually?
Does he keep on breaking up and harrowing the soil?
When he has leveled the surface,
does he not sow caraway and scatter cummin?
Does he not plant wheat in its place,
barley in its plot, and spelt in its field?
His God instructs him and teaches him the right way.
Caraway is not threshed with a sledge,
nor is a cartwheel rolled over cummin;
caraway is beaten out with a rod, and cummin with a stick.
Grain must be ground to make bread;
so one does not go on threshing it forever.
Though he drives the wheels of his threshing cart over it,
his horses do not grind it.
All this also comes from the Lord Almighty,
wonderful in counsel and magnificent in wisdom.

Plowing

The sharp edge of the plow

cuts through the sod now

as it will be time to plant soon

according to the phase of the moon.

The plow turns under the earth

as songbirds sing with mirth.

They know a free dinner awaits.

Or fisherman might collect bait.

The turned back sod does expose

earthworms from their quiet repose.

Assisting the gardener by irrigating,

they're a welcome sight to see this spring morning.

A myriad of stones are also exposed

from the bowels of the earth while winter dozed

silently heaving, like contractions,

giving birth to more stone picking.

Back and forth,

north to south,

each year the plow makes neat rows

followed by the gardeners toes.

Brown furrows are the plow's accomplishment

welcoming a spring-fresh earthy scent.

Fertile.

Fruitful.

The plow prepares the earth

to get ready to give birth

while aerating the soil

to make for less toil.

As the warm sun

warms the loam

seedlings will start to root

before you see their shoots.

Weed seeds, that is, for these seeds live on and on,

seemingly for many generations.

Hopefully the hot sun will nuke

many of these weed seeds that sprout.

Once the hardened earth is prepared

the plow is cleaned from its wear and tear

before being put away, then the gardener takes time to survey his work -

finding satisfaction in his little piece of heaven on earth.

* * * * *

I'm sure you'll agree with me

you're as happy as can be

when your work is satisfying.

A creative way of playing.

When the plowman plows and the thresher threshes,

they ought to do so in the hope of sharing

in the harvest.

I Corinthians 9:10

That everyone may eat and drink,

and find satisfaction in all is toil -

this is the gift of God.

Ecclesiastes 3:13

The desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.

Proverbs 13:4

The Lord will guide you always;

he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land

and will strengthen your fame.

You will be like a well-watered garden,

like a spring whose waters never fail.

Isaiah 58:11

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