Back in the “old days,” many folks grew their own food.
Small backyard gardens, small family farms on a couple of acres . . .
neighbors shared when the crops were good and during the times of the
season when there was an overabundance, tomatoes, squash and cucumbers
were handed out by the bagful – canning vegetables was a common skill many
homemakers were familiar with and pantries of jars of those delicious vegetables
were a delightful sight in the middle of winter.

Many of my relatives were farmers who raised their own food, both vegetable and
animal and my family often took vacations to visit their farms and memories of
BIG breakfasts made up of what they raised are extremely tasty memories!

Those farmers knew about the value of the seeds they placed in the ground at the
right time to get the best yield — they knew about the importance of the quality of
the ground and the quality of the seed and the proper care and tending to be able to
reap the crops they needed to feed their families and neighbors.

As I think about those days that seem so long ago . . .
I am struck by the need I have today to understand the importance of the quality
of the ground, the preparation of the soil, the nutrients I put in to myself if I want to
reap the crop I am looking for to nourish my family and share with my neighbors.

–the ground, for me, is my heart, my soul, and my mind
all that makes up my inner being, the essence of who I am, me
(during the hard times, it is vital that I know the condition of my soil)

–preparation of the soil
how each Life event prepares me for the next step on my path,
sometimes tilling, sometimes digging up major pieces of my “soil”
(during the hard times, I need to review what has “prepared” me
to this point, what is my foundation, do I know what I believe and why I believe it)

–the nutrients
what I consume through listening, through watching, through reading and
how all that “intake” affects my thinking, my behavior, my motivations
(during the hard times, I need to closely monitor what I am listening to and
watching and reading. There is so much negative, fear-filled, rude talk all
around – am I filling myself with that “stuff” that will spill over into my
behavior and my words?)

–the crop
what grows on my path, what grows within me, the “unseen” force that
drives my behavior and “infects” all I come in contact with in line with the
old-time adage: you reap what you sow
(during the hard times, I need to carfully and as honestly as possible
review what my “crop” looks and sounds like. Am I using language I would
never have used before, am I speaking rudely, am I being insulting to
anyone who does not agree with me, am I destroying relationships?)

Perhaps, I need to be a little more careful about the SEEDS I take within
my heart, my soul, and my mind . . . if the “crop” produced indicates the
SEEDS planted (apple trees don’t come from watermelon seeds),
a review of what has come from my SEEDS will show me where I need to
start choosing different SEEDS by choosing what crops I want to see in
my life . . . 

SEEDS are vital to continuing life—
what seeds am I taking into myself . . .
what seeds am I spreading . . .
what crop am I expecting to get . . .
what crop am I getting . . .


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SEEDS have a cycle of life—
germination—>growth—>reproduction—>pollination—>spreading seeds