There’s something sacred about a garden planted not only with seeds, but with memories. Tucked between the church and the Tee Pee Bar and Grill, and nearly hidden beneath layers of ivy and time, was such a place. A meditation garden, once a quiet haven of prayer and remembrance, had long fallen into neglect. Thanks to the faith and fellowship of our congregation, that little patch of holy ground has begun to bloom again.
The garden quite literally sprouted from love. Many years ago, Pastor Marilyn, who served our congregation with a gentle spirit and a green thumb, envisioned a place where people could reflect, remember, and feel close to God. A gardener herself, she believed the church grounds could use a special sanctuary, something more than just grass and trees. So she gathered a few volunteers, picked out plants with purpose, and carved out a space where hearts could heal in the quiet beauty of nature. That vision grew into the meditation garden.
Over time, however, seasons changed, people moved on, and Pastor Marilyn took her place in heaven. The garden, once so tenderly cared for, became overgrown and forgotten. It all might have ended there if not for one thought spoken on a Sunday. “We should do something to clean up the garden.”
Memories came flooding back. Names whispered in prayer under its trees and the quiet comfort it offered to grieving hearts. Before long, another church group asked if they could help clean it up. Not only did they ask, but they showed up armed with gloves, shovels, and a determination to bring it back to life.
Years of leaves and overgrowth had blanketed the space. But as the work progressed, the garden slowly began to reveal itself. From beneath suckers on a tree trunk, a small plaque was uncovered. Weathered but intact was laminated sheet music for Jesus Loves Me, mounted on a tiny wooden board and drilled lovingly into the side of a tree. That simple melody, so deeply ingrained in our childhoods, felt like a benediction from the past.
More treasures followed. Hand-painted plaques with short verses. Faded yard art spinning in the breeze. Perhaps most poetically, someone uncovered a shrub unlike the others. HHH pulled out his “Plant Parent” app to find out that this bush was actually named “The Burning Bush” (Euonymus alatus). The name was more than botanical and felt like a message. Just as God spoke to Moses through the burning bush, maybe He was speaking to us now: “Take off your shoes, for the ground you are standing on is holy.”
The burning bush has become our symbol of renewal, of God’s abiding presence, and of how life renews itself even in forgotten places. We’ve been pruning and praying. James has been out working the garden every day, plucking weeds before they have a chance to grow. With water, work, and time, this garden will again bring peace to our community.
While the garden is once again taking shape, it’s the togetherness that’s truly blossoming. Older members share stories, younger ones lend their strength, and in the rhythm of digging and planting, we’ve found community. The church isn’t just a building or a schedule of services but people showing up, getting their hands dirty, and loving one another.
In the evenings now, when the sun filters through the trees while illuminating the little Jesus Loves Me plaque. You can almost hear the song, faint and sweet, like a lullaby on the wind. It stands, decades later, as a message that Jesus loves us. Still. Always. Forever. Even in overgrown corners and long-forgotten gardens.
Yes.
Especially there.