FROM THE MINISTER

Although maybe a bit early yet for most varieties of plants and vegetables, I notice that some keen gardeners have already been busy planting seeds, and this reminds us that the days are lengthening, signs of Spring are appearing and (hopefully) better weather is ahead.

Although tempting, planting seeds too early in the season can have disastrous consequences. Like so many things in life, timing is of the essence. I have to confess that I sometimes get impatient with the natural cycles of day-length and temperature and “try to push the envelope”, a lovely phrase which just means that I have the hubris to try to fool Nature.

To this end, a sturdy, well-padded box with mountains of bubble wrap arrived from Devon. It contained my heated electric propagators, but, as all good gardeners are aware, heat is not enough, and this is when I entered a more clandestine, shady world – one of slightly dodgy websites where less-than-respectable wares are on offer. I have purchased growing lights. These could be put to several uses, I imagine, not just germinating seeds from Dobbies. So, on a murky day, you might get a glimpse of this strange illumination as you pass by the Manse. The ethereal glow, which emanates from my greenhouse, will possibly have little to do with the Holy Spirit. it will be a result of Stan’s special fluorescent tubes designed to imitate natural sunlight. As a result, I am awaiting a surprise visit from the local constabulary any day now. Effective it might be, but it does look terribly suspicious.

As Christians, we are all involved in this process of sowing, germinating and then waiting to see if anything will flourish. Every act of love and service that we offer, every comforting or encouraging word, each time we share something of our faith, is like a seed sown. These are small things that we plant in the lives of others: our children, our neighbours and those with whom we share our world. Like insignificant looking seeds, small and unremarkable, our deeds needn’t be on a grand scale – just heartfelt and sincere. Usually, we never see what becomes of these actions, but we trust in God’s love, and we leave it up to him to shed light on them and nurture them until they can be potentially transformed into something wonderful in the future.

This is part of the mystery of Easter: the unstoppable movement from murkiness to brightness; from death to life and from the cross to resurrection. May you enjoy a truly verdant Spring and a glorious and abundant Easter.

Rev Stan