"God saw all that He had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day."
~ Genesis 1:31
When I was a young girl, my father instilled in me a love for nature. Often a warm feeling of inspiration came over me as I admired Dad’s fruit trees and rose bushes, the soil mulched neatly around each one.
Dad had also experienced a deep connection with God while cultivating the family cornfield in his youth. Those reflective times, as well as times delving into God’s Word, eventually led him to open his heart to the Savior. After high school graduation, Dad enrolled in Bible college and, later, in seminary. Afterward, he planted churches for the next fifty years as a lead pastor, including the church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where I was born and grew up.
Because of my dad, I, too, learned to look for the handprints of God in all of creation, observing the intricacy in a Passion flower as its blooms unfolded or the multicolored hydrangeas in our large yard near Amish farmland.
Curious, one day I asked my mother if Dad might be creating his sermons in his mind while planting or harvesting his organic vegetable garden. (Long before organic produce was even popular!) She smiled and nodded, agreeing that there was something very special, indeed, about Dad’s time spent gardening. During the day—even after supper before twilight—when he wasn’t reading the Bible or outlining his sermons, he seemed to be walking with God in the stillness of the maturing lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, squash, and snap peas. And later in life, Dad grew specimen flowers specifically to supply the local florists.
During this month of June and Father’s Day, I miss Dad for many reasons, among them his joyful countenance whenever he was describing a “new” type of produce, such as the cabbage he’d eaten during a mission trip to Beijing, China--Napa cabbage, rich in vitamins A, B3, iron and copper, and also lower in sodium than regular cabbage. And oh, the variety of colorful peonies Dad grew during his retirement years with my mother’s help. Row upon row of the frilly, flamboyant flowers graced their backyard.
Yes, Dad loved God’s creation, as well as God’s people. He was instrumental in leading many, many souls to Christ over the years, including mine.
Abundant blessings!
—Beverly Lewis
1) Thanks for the many delightful comments regarding The Beverly Lewis Amish Heritage Cookbook, 20th Anniversary Edition. I'm so thrilled you're trying new-to-you recipes--even some families made dried corn casserole for Easter dinner. A high honor!
2) Dave and I are enjoying the warmer days of late spring here, where there is seemingly daily weather changes--70 degrees one day, then sleet and snow the next. The lilac bushes around town are almost ready to burst forth with blossoms, and spring housecleaning is nearly over. Thanks, as always, for your kind remarks about my books (back list, as well as my upcoming The Christmas House, releasing September 2nd). And...a very happy Father's Day to all the dads!
