Harvested from My Garden Today–on My Screened Porch. Heirloom Cucumbers, Better Boy Tomatoes, Kentucky Wonder Green Beans, and California Giant Zinnias. i did not plant the cucumbers or the beans. They are returns from dropped seeds last summer.

This morning I went out to my garden and loaded the tale of my t-shirt with some vegetables that I harvested from my garden. After that, I returned to my garden and cut a few flowers and added them to my collection. You see, I have a Kitchen Garden, which is a type of garden where I grow vegetables and flowers in one big spot. During the entire harvesting process today, words that I hear every Sunday at church came to me:

“The Gifts of God for the People of God.” The Book of Common Prayer

Most Episcopalians will readily agree that in suggesting that my garden’s harvest is a similar to the phrase in the BCP “The Gifts of God” in this Blog Post’s title,  I have used this phrase out of context — But have I?

The words “The Gifts of God for the People of God” are part of the Eucharistic service–a tradition that other denominations might call “The Lord’s Supper.” But these words are not spoken at every Episcopalian Eucharistic Service. In their context, the words are alluding  to God’s greatest gift–that of His son to be a sacrifice for the sinners. But the Book of Common Prayer includes numerous other references to God’s other gifts:

For one thing, the Book of Common Prayer includes the Book of Psalms, and in my humble opinion, the best of the Psalms celebrate God’s Gifts:

Although the Book of Genesis is not in The Book of Common Prayer,  many of the Psalms praise God’s Creation:

From Psalm 103

Until recently, I did not fully appreciate The Book of Common Prayer, but my relationship with God changed when I realized that my own personal prayers can easily flow from what I read in the Book of Common Prayer: [I’m ashame to admit that formerly, I regarded most of the Book of Common Prayer as a type of repetition of Just Words. I have learned that I had missed a lot.]

From the Evening Prayer — The Book of Common Prayer – page 118,’

O Gracious Light Phos hilaron O gracious Light, pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven, O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!

Now as we come to the setting of the sun, and our eyes behold the vesper light, we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices, O Son of God, O Giver of life, and to be glorified through all the worlds ”

Gloria Patri Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. World without end. Amen. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer, pg. 118,

Soooooo, what does all this have to do with my “careless” use of the words: “The Gifts of God for the People of God”? Well, as I said before, I am on a mission to find prayers in God’s Word–as well as in The Book of Common Prayer–and I believe that Prayer is a two-way street. We say words to God–and we wait for God to speak back to us–the entire process is vague–but just maybe, today as these words kept running through my mind–while I was harvesting from my garden–God may have been talking back to me.

I won’t swear to that, It may simply have been my mind obsessing about a thought But Maybe—

I do know this, I go to my garden every morning alone –listening —

“I come to the garden alone. While the Dew is Still on the Roses.” And I listen for the Voice of God. Help me to remember to Bless His Holy Name.

From Psalm 104