This summer, I feel the Lord has really been trying to teach me about my children and parenting through my garden.
A couple of months before the first frost, I started several flats of seeds under lamps and on heat mats in my garage. Each day I was so excited to see if they had sprouted. I tenderly cared for the little seedlings each day, making sure the soil was just damp, the lights were putting off heat, etc. It's the same as when my little ones were infants--they relied on me for everything, nearly every hour.
Then, came time for transplanting. Into the outside soil they went. Still under my care, but time to start growing deeper roots in the outside world. Because the seedlings' roots were shallow and thin, I had to water carefully. One hot day without enough moisture, and they would not just wither, but die because the roots were not strong enough to weather the heat.
This is where I feel like I am at with my own two sprouts (Anne and Jack). They are old enough that they are learning and growing based on the world around them. Am I provided fertile soil for them to grow their roots of faith? Am I weeding out influences that will sap them of the good in the soil? It's an exciting time as well because so much growth can happen so quickly at this stage. Information is easily and joyfully absorbed.
There are also days when I am discouraged as a mother-gardener. When will I see the fruit? For several weeks this summer, we had rainy and cool weather. A nice change, but my gourds and squash needed sunny weather to produce. (My kids need the Son, too.) Anyway, there were times were I though, "Is this worth all fuss--the weeding, the watering--what if I never get a squash out of this garden?
But then, I remembered all the time and energy I put into those little seeds in the garage many months ago. What a waste if I were to give up now. There would be no fruit at all if I stopped now, but at least a chance of something if I continued on.
The Lord challenged to me to "keep tending" daily some of the parenting things I'd like to just slip by sometimes. Like when it's the third, fourth or--ahem--fifth temper tantrum of the day and I just want to give in so that the screaming stops. Or, how it would be easier and faster to just clean Anne's room by myself, instead of stepping her through it each time.
Being consistent is hard, but I've got to continue the work I've started. For one day, it will yield (I pray) a young man with self-control and young woman who cares for and respects the blessings she has.
I've also got to keep fertilizing their little hearts with God's truth--a truth that will help them grow deep, strong roots so that one day they can stand on their own. On that note, we've gotten back into our normal "Bible study" times at breakfast. (More on that in another post.)
I guess all this to say, "Be encouraged fellow mother-gardeners." If we keep weeding, fertilizing, pruning and tending our little sprouts, there will be a harvest.
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10-12
