More on Mustard Seeds

The concept of Mustard Seeds comes from the parables and metaphors in the New Testament:

Faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains...Matthew 17:20, Luke 17:1-6

The smallest of seeds (kingdom of God) becomes the largest garden plants... Matthew 13:31-33, Mark 4:30-32

Jesus used many parables relating to gardening, seeds and harvesting--no doubt because his audiences were full of farmers. These stories have always appealed to me because I, too, am a gardener. As soon as I was knee-high, I could be found alongside my dad in the garden planting flowers, vegetables and bulbs. It was very special time with my father. (Although, looking back now, getting me in the garden was probably a scheme to get a strong-willed girl out of her mother's hair for an hour or so.)

I was always involved in the whole process, from selecting seeds to harvesting corn. Watching a small seed grow into something lush, green and fruitful and/or beautiful was magical. It was also work. It took tilling, sowing, watering, weeding, fertilizing, pruning. And, we had to rely on God for the sun and seasons to grown our seed to little sprout to large plant to fruit or bloom.

The parable of the mustard seed and what I learned in the garden closely reflect my views on motherhood and parenting. As a Christian parent, I want to plant seeds of faith in my little sprouts--Anne and Jack. They are young and so is their faith; as small as a mustard seed you might say. And, with the proper tending and nurturing they will grow and so will their faith.

I want to be intentional about creatively teaching God's truth to my children on a daily basis. I'm not a perfect parents and I know I will make mistakes. Days may pass without "planting" and the best intented activites may fail. Still, I am excited to share this journey with you and hope my posts (especially those under the "Mustard Seeds" category) will encourage you to creatively think about how you, too, can cultivate your child's faith.