VICTORY GARDEN’S
I was just a child during WWII but I have read and heard about those at home who did their part during the war. Many women took jobs that normally were held by men. Many women became pilots, mechanics and gardeners. You name it and women were doing it!

One of the things that was going on, was under the auspicious cooperation of Eleanor Roosevelt. She took history and re-invented it by planting a garden at the White House in 1943.
Much of the countries food supply was being used for the troops. She and others felt it would be good to encourage those at home by bringing back the Victory Gardens.

The idea of these gardens began in England during the 1600's. 300 years later WWI wanted to keep both troops and citizens morales high by developing a sense of patriotism and participation in the countries war efforts. At that time they used the terms of ‘liberty garden’ and ‘war garden’. After WWI it became known as "Victory Gardens".

I understand that today there is some talk about beginning the ‘victory gardens’ again I would imagine that many have their home gardens without the encouragement of the government, nevertheless a garden is always a good thing!

One of the scriptures in the Old testament always interested me. "When a man is newly married, he shall not go out with the army or be charged with any business; he shall be free at home one year, to be happy with his wife whom he has taken"; Deuteronomy 24:5. Today that is not a law nor does the church consider it a law of God, that needs to be honored. However, I like it! I suppose one reason for the young man to remain with his wife for at least one year was so they could establish a home with children on the way. God knew the devastation of war! God knew men would die! God knew that it was necessary for the man to have an heir. God knows so much more about us than we could ever imagine.

Perhaps God’s idea of a victory garden would be to raise up children who will learn to love and to live for Him. "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven"; Ecclesiastes 3:1. Chapter 3 goes on with; "a time to be born, time to die; a time to plant, a time to reap; a time to kill, a time to heal; a time to break down, a time to build up; a time to weep, a time to laugh; a time to mourn, a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, a time to refrain; a time to seek, a time to lose; a time to keep, a time to cast away; a time to tear, a time to sew; a time to keep silent, a time to speak; a time to love, a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace". A time for everything?

A victory garden served it’s purposes in years past and might serve a purpose even today.
I would like to encourage a different type of garden. A prayer garden! A garden of pray’ers full of many clean hands and pure hearts! Pray’ers that will lift up our government by name! A garden of pray’ers that seeks God’s face filled with color and fragrance. A garden of pray’ers lifting up our troops before the Commander and Chief that has declared us righteous through His Son, Jesus Christ. A garden of prayers that brings peace and beauty to those who pray. Jane Ann