Planting Season

Bright blue sky, light June breeze blowing through mounds of blonde hair, and she smiles at me, bursting with pride. Dirt packed fingernails and a sweaty brow, skin reddened with sunshine, she’s beaming and I smile right back. She explains to me, the one that carried her a full 9 months, just how many seeds go in each hole for the cucumbers and lettuce. The early summer terrain awaits its seed. It’s planting season here on our little piece of earth. Truth is, this is the first time in 20 years we’ve planted a garden that will be solely our own. My in-laws have always had a huge garden in which my husband and children took part in planting and harvesting as long as I can remember. Now, my eldest daughter has taken great interest in being the “Overseer” of the garden we will now call our own. Watching her has made me so proud and thankful to our Lord for the blessing of such a child. She has also blessed her Papa in a big way. He has been the backbone to the gardening and has always hoped one of his own boys would enjoy it as much as he does. Alas, it is his granddaughter that has inherited the green thumb in the family. Sowing seeds so small, one wonders how such a great and nourishing plant, good for food, will come to be. Then my heart is gently reminded what our Lord did say of such things: ³¹ He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. ³² Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” Matthew 13:31-32

In the same way, He gently shows us how to plant seeds in our children. Often we don’t see anything but weeds growing. Like when a child who fully knows better behavior, chooses to disobey his elder at a family BBQ or one who is usually so sweet and caring opts out of sharing with his cousin and causes a fuss. Perhaps we forget that though our Lord is the Eternal Gardener, we are His hands and feet and voice to our children. Therefore, we parents are responsible for weeding our own gardens. Regular weeding will allow our little ones to grow and thrive and  flourish so that come harvest time, we will gladly reap what has been sown. Good fruit comes from good trees.  ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 Sow the seeds of these good fruits and see what promises the Lord keeps in those that love Him. Blessings.