I am not a gardener, but my wife loves to garden. There is therapy in toiling in the dirt, but there is never a moment we should assume that the work is not toil. For the past five years, we have spent time every spring and summer trying to carve out some space on our property to have a garden. There was lots of brush in the lower half of the yard and a deep hole in the spot that would work best. Today while tilling the ground, it occurred to me that we have accomplished quite a bit. The hard part is seeing the change while in the daily grind to remove small trees, overgrown weeds, and fill the hole. But there is something satisfying about tilling the ground, to turn over land for the preparation of planting. In March everything is full of promise, and I am keenly aware that our lives do not depend on successful crops. We will continue to tend the soil while we wait for Good Friday. We live in hope that through preparation we will experience the joy of sustained life.