For the past few months I have been designing, planning, and creating my dream garden. I have looked forward to this for years and it feels so special to see it coming to reality now. This past winter was heavy for me for a few reasons but immersing myself in garden dreaming/designing (the spiritual creation side) was therapeutic for me and helped me to keep my head above water. Throughout the past couple months I have spent countless hours outside working on the physical creation of the garden. And really, this is just the beginning. It’s still very much a work in progress. I am excited to see everything grow over the next few months and years. I can’t even begin to express how good this has been for my soul. I thought I would share a few poems that I’ve written to capture some of my thoughts and feelings about my garden. In recent months I keep feeling drawn to expressing my heart through poetry.
Here is my most recent one. (For a little explanation, Lille Myregård is the name of our farm. It’s named after my ancestral farm on the island of Bornholm in Denmark. I got to visit this farm a few years ago, meet some long lost cousins, and discover that this farm is still in the family and has been for over 400 years. More about our farm here).
My poem…
Raised in the Gardens of God
It seems that God loves gardens,
The more I think and read,
The most important places,
Were started from a seed.
God prepared a garden,
For mankind to begin.
There they walked and enjoyed,
Nature and God’s presence within.
The Garden of Gethsemane,
Became a sacred place.
In this special garden,
Jesus Christ bought our grace.
Golgotha had a garden,
Where two vital events occurred.
Day one Christ died on the cross,
Was resurrected on the third.
Lille Myregård gardens,
Are special just for me.
Creating them brings life and joy,
When I’m in them I feel free.
I ponder all the special things
God’s gardens have fulfilled.
Sacred spaces give place for rise,
Renew, restore, rebuild.
In a garden Adam and Eve were raised;
Christ rose above weakness and sin;
He was raised up on the cross,
Then from the grave He rose again.
In my garden I am raised as well,
I am lifted up out of this realm;
Lead to the rock that is higher than me,
Freedom replaces my overwhelm.
Garden of Eden
Genesis 2:8-10
“And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.”
Garden of Gethsemane
Matthew 26 and Luke 22
Matthew 26
36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.
37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
43 And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.
44 And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.Luke 22
43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.
44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.Matthew 26
45 Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
46 Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.
Garden of Golgatha
“Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new seplecure, wherein was never man yet laid.”
The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the seplecure.
Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.
Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.
So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.
And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.
Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,
And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.
Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.
For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.
Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.
But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,
And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.
And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.
Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.
Garden of Lille Myregård
“For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.”
