As you sow, so shall you reap

I have never been very good at keeping any type of plant alive. I have tried to grow and keep many things alive in the past years, all of which have died. I was thinking about this and wondering how much money I was wasting as I planted our garden this year. I then realized that if I care for the plants - give them the right fertilizer, protect them from critters and weeds, provide them with the sunlight and water they need - they will thrive. After all, you reap what you sow. If I simply plant the seed without caring for it, nothing or very little will come from my meager efforts. I chose the picture above because I cannot fully reap the crops from my garden without some effort - effort that will require getting my hands dirty.

The same is true for raising and nurturing children. What does it really mean to give a child "life"? Is that done once a mother has born her child? In some sense of the word, sure. But, I would venture to say that in the real meaning of the word, no. Just as I want my garden to thrive, parents have an obligation and responsibility to teach their children the tools necessary to truly live. It seems that now many people believe that to fully experience life we must be involved in every activity, have the latest gadget, the best clothes. Is that, though, experiencing life or experiencing things?

What does a child need to have a happy, meaningful life? Several years ago my husband and I had the opportunity to visit several remote villages along the Amazon river of Brazil. These people had next to nothing. They lived in grass huts, hunted for their food and literally lived off of the land. The children had no shoes and very little clothing. Yet, these children were some of the happiest I have ever met. It was there that I really began to believe that that which matters most in life has nothing to do with social status or how much money we have. It has everything to do with being true to who we are - children of God.

In order for my children to bloom and reach their full potential, I must find a way to teach them of their worth. I won't do that if I am sowing seeds of negativity or doubt, if I can't correct them in kindness or regularly praise them for all that they do so well. Will they become all that they are meant to be if I don't give them a chance to learn something new by pushing them to do hard things? or to go to Our Father in Heaven in prayer when things seem too hard?

With each of my actions I must ask myself, "What seeds am I sowing?" As a Mother I have been given the opportunity - the power, if you will - to teach these little people and to help shape their lives.  As Sheri Dew put it:

“ This is a call to arms, it’s a call to action, a call to arise.  A call to arm ourselves with power and with righteousness.  A call to rely on the arm of the Lord rather than the arm of flesh.  A call to “arise and shine forth, that our light may be a standard for the nations.  A call to live as women of God so that we and our families may return safely home [to Him]. ”