I’ve always been amazed and fascinated with gardens/gardening. I mean…you poke a little hole in the ground, put a seed in it, water it…and it GROWS! It’s a miracle don’t you think? Since Spring is officially here, I’ve been thinking a lot about planting…not just flowers and veggies and such, but what kinds of seeds I want to be planting in the hearts of my children.
To me, raising children is so much like gardening, I’ve always been fascinated with how tender the ground of their little hearts can be. We plant a seed, good or bad and it begins to grow!
How is the soil of their heart? Is it soft toward the seeds or hard and if it is hard how can I help soften it?
“Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.” Luke 8:13-15
I’ve started asking myself the same questions about raising my children as I do when I garden.
- What kind of seeds will I be planting? What lessons will I teach my kids this year?
- Do I need to add extra fertilizer? What kinds of learners are my children…will I need to use a little extra help with sowing this lesson into their hearts?
- What tools do I need? Will I need some fun curriculum? Will I need rewards or prizes?
- How will I keep the weeds from growing? We don’t want the weeds to choke out the seed and new seedlings. So let’s be diligent to get those weeds out, just as soon as we see them sprouting.
- Water generously with the Word. Kids are like sponges, we need to continually water them with the Word…they will soak up every bit of it.
So tell me…what are you planting this Spring?
