America’s tradition of gathering together to celebrate Thanksgiving Day might be a gardener’s inspiration to plant herbs. A maturing herb garden will season turkey and side dishes with fresh garden goodness. Sage, parsley, and thyme are a simple place to start, sure to yield a savory feast. At least that was my hope in our first time to host family dinner, and as in many garden goals, there were lessons to be learned!
Growing the Herb Garden
As part of my preparation, I relished the chance to get out to the garden center, planning our meal from the ground up. Ahead of the happy day, I bought young starts of parsley, sage, and thyme. The parsley established well, gallantly green over the summer and hardy as fall temperatures cooled. The sage thrived! It spread expansively from its four-inch pot to nearly four feet of sprawling, soft verdant leaves, providing more than enough enthralling flavor for the stuffing.
Wait…where did the thyme go? I anticipated the pungent thyme to enhance turkey’s subtle taste and to decorate our serving plates with little, woodsy sprigs, yet the plant’s petite habit and slower growth were smothered by the vigorous sage. The plant perished. It seems thyme needed space.
“He’s giving everyone space and time to change.”
2 Peter 3:9
Growing a Grown-Up Heart
O dear, what if this horticultural drama was a hint of family drama to come? Was I likewise unrestrained, planning to smother with opinions, grumbles, and stale grievances? Our Lord is gentlemanly, patient with us, giving us the time and space to grow toward him. Like a farmer, God waits for the precious crop of our grown-up hearts, ready to appreciate who he is and what he is doing.
Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors!
James 5:7-9
Growing the Vegetables
Two out of three planned herb flavors spicing up the feast were a good start and combined with the gentle reminder to cultivate my heart with as much care as the plants, the meal was enjoyed by all. In the splendid celebration, I found the courage to raise not only herbs next year but vegetable side dishes and decorations for the table, too. Gratefully, my family was ready to gather again at our home, and my courage was off and running. I had the winter to swoon over seed catalogs and savor thoughts of what might have the best yield in our yard.
Green beans, my favorite dish would be delicious served fresh-frozen from the garden and look elegant with sprinkles of parsley surrounding pats of melting butter. Sweet potatoes, my daughter’s favorite would be a good companion crop if I let them cover the ground while the beans trailed up a trellis. Learning from the “thyme needs space” experience, I sowed pumpkin seeds with plenty of surrounding space for their expansive vines, in a long raised bed across the garden.
Let National Garden Bureau members chime in with great advice on growing Thanksgiving vegetables and delicious varieties to try: Green Beans, Sweet Potatoes, and Pumpkins
The Greatest Family Tradition
The greatest family tradition, along with the feast seasoned by an herb garden and vegetables from the garden to table, is learning to be simply thankful for loved ones who are with us, accepting their anxiety, giving them the time and space to grow through their struggles and frustrations. By God’s goodness, our crowding ways of sprawling judgments and smothering self-centeredness can be overcome, as we continue growing, too.
The following is a prayer for Thanksgiving:
Thank you, God, for all the blessings you put in our lives. You know us personally, you treat us patiently, and you don’t want any of us to perish. A heart full of thanksgiving leads us into a deeper relationship with you and loving, thriving family relationships that are readied to endure forever. May all our traditions praise and honor you, O Lord. May we see you standing at the door to our home and our gardens!
Written by Shelley S. Cramm
Author God’s Word for Gardeners Bible
“This post is provided as an educational/inspirational service of the National Garden Bureau and our members. Please credit and link to National Garden Bureau and author member when using all or parts of this article.”
Thanks for sharing…
