Harvest and Planting

As conference was ending today, I listened to the closing prayer. (I am not sure who gave it) The apostle that was praying spoke of how it is a time of harvest in part of the world and a time of planting in other parts of the world. He then asked for a blessing that we can use harvest and planting for balance in our lives.

I thought about this and wondered how to use it in my personal life. Of course there is the literal meaning- plant a garden and then harvest it to use. Or to take the harvest that others have planted and store them up in my storage. That is easy to do with so many case lot sales going on.

However, I felt that there was a deeper meaning to my life. What if I need to plant more gospel truths and acts? What is lacking in the balance of my spiritual life that I need to find the seeds and plant there? Is there something in the lives of my children that I have forgotten to sow in their young and tender spiritual gardens? Do I pray about that often enough and then take the seeds given me and plant them?

Then to harvesting, what is there that is ready to go from me. Harvesting is not complete only at death. To balance our lives is what he said. Well, if I am going to plant something, wouldn't I have to take something out in order to make room for that which I am going to plant? Harvests are also oftimes abundant. If I have an abundant harvest, shouldn't I share it with others?

But I could also have a harvest of weeds and unwanted plantings. Things that I have allowed to grow and fester unchecked. Things that maybe I didn't plant or plan on planting, but things I allowed to grow once the winds of life blew them in. Shouldn't these be harvested out as well?

And so I begin this harvest season planning not only what I will physically plant in my earthly vegetable and flower gardens next spring, I am pondering what it is that I need to harvest- good and bad- from my spiritual garden, how to either share the good or dispose of the bad, making room for more beautiful spiritual plantings.