Noonday Notes

Issue No. 41

April 3rd, 2026

Last week, I wrote about boundaries; how the garden gives us structure. Beds, pathways, row cover, all with the purpose of keeping in or keeping out the people, pests, or problems. I look at both sides, now. Like Joni. When boundaries become too rigid, tight, and closed that has its risks as well.

On Tuesday morning we had over 30 preschoolers visit the farm. They smelled herbs, moved like caterpillars through the garden, hummed when they saw a flower, and planted beans. Curiosity. Joy. Delight.

As adults we may lose our sense of wonder and desire to play. We can become “blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!” Matthew 23;24 ESV. I blame Adam and cellphones. Children remind us what we need: to move, to explore, to go back to our first home (hint: garden). To have soft, not hardened hearts.

Jesus, big fan of children, understood the assignment and said as much, with his whole, “let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.” Mark 10:13-16 ESV’

Pretty sure Jesus knew what He was talking about. As God’s own Son he entered this world as a child, fully human, fully dependent, showing us that the path to life, to relationship with Our Creator, begins with humility, sacrifice, and love.

When I was in treatment 3 years ago I started a practice where I wrote down “3 moments of joy” at the end of the day. Being a Type 4 I was not going to call this a Gratitude Journal, I’m too terminally unique for that. This is much, much different. So as one does, I thought about and had feelings about play A LOT this week. And I still write down my moments of joy.

Here are some from this week: seeing a great play after a hissy fit over a strikeout an inning before, revisiting trees I used to play on, adding our own brush to someone else’s wood pile with my adopted grandpa, seeing one of my favorite toddlers dance to We Found Love, making hula hooping videos with my son, talking Kanye with my daughter, ice cream trucks with new friends, found jackets from the 80s, cryptic texts to a friend, cleaning feet, and listening to storytelling deacons. So. Much. Gratitude. So. Much. Joy.

In the garden, we can practice joy again, knowing it’s our promised future. We can let go of our need to control every detail, to harden our hearts, and to protect ourselves, and instead rediscover the childlike curiosity that Jesus invites us into. Play is more than fun, it’s a way back. And that is just one part of The Good News.

Read the rest of the newsletter here.