The Marigold

The Marigold
Carol Condon
carolcondon5@aol.com



The ground was extremely hardened as the blades dug deep cultivating the earth. Clumps of thick clay were being turned over in preparation for new life. It was a strenuous task as the sun seemingly aimed its rays towards the little patch of land. With a tenacious grip he guided the plow up and down every row in anticipation for the vegetation that would soon begin its life in the very place he now walked. Year after year he perfected his gardening abilities eventually focusing exclusively on the tomato plant.

My Dad could harvest a tomato that would be a meal in itself. My Mom and Dad were quite a team. However, they worked year round in order to provide this delicacy each summer. The seeds were saved from only the best specimen. They were then dried and eventually planted in little soil pockets under lights where they would germinate throughout the winter months readying themselves for spring. It was quite an art.

My Dad passed away on December 14, 2008. His seeds were already preparing themselves for the spring planting. Mom’s heart was broken but she carried on where my Dad had left off. She saved two of the plants for me. I was nervous as I planted them in my yard, a yard that had never felt a gardeners touch. I watched the two plants stretch high as small circles of green dotted along the stems. The green was slowly replaced by orange and eventually red. However, each tomato was been destroyed right on the stems. Even though my plants looked healthy the tomatoes were ruined. I called my Mom and she told me that there is a worm that seeks out the tomato and that I need a marigold.

Depending on the species, marigold foliage has a musky, pungent scent that is said to deter some common insect pests as well as the little culprit that had eaten through my two precious tomato plants. This year my Mom gave me two more tomato plants but before I prepared my ground for planting I bought a tray of marigolds.

So many times we have cultivated the plans for our lives and all seems to be going according to our plans, but then the worm appears, leaving destruction in its path. We need a “marigold”.

Our Lord wants to be the Master of our “garden”. If we delight ourselves in Him, day and night, we have a promise. We will flourish under His authority!

Psalm 1:3
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.