The hearts of your children are like soil in a garden....Part 1

                

 

                                                 The Parable of the Sower

Matthew 13:3-23

"1  The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
2  And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
3  And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow:
4  And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
5  Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
6  And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
7  And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
8  But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, and some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, somethirtyfold."

 

 

                          Over the next month of so  I will be blogging about The Parable of the Sower and how the heart of your children are like soil in a garden.  I will dive into this verse and apply it to our children.

 

Every year we plant a garden, its not the biggest or greatest but its enough for our family of 7. Every year we spend a vast amount of time cultivating the soil.

 

We attest our soil to see the quality of it, and test the PH levels to determine what it needs, then we add organic compost material to it,  this is to ensure it is receiving the best nutrition possible, for we have learned the hard way that if you don't prepare the soil then you can not expect a bountiful harvest.

 

The seeds you plant will only grow if the soil in which it was planted in has been cultivated, tilled, and worked.

 

Yes, this process is tedious and the hardest. But, it is very, very, crucial in order to yield a good harvest.

 

 

Our children's souls/hearts/minds are like that of soil in a garden.

 

We are like that of a gardener a farmer a sower planting seeds in their hearts/minds/souls.

One day harvest time will come.

Every farmer/gardener and sower will tell you that the key to a good harvest is the soil. The right soil will produce the right harvest.

It is the job of the farmer/gardener/sower to care for soil that he or she is planting in.

 

As a parent we must cultivate, till, prepare the soil of their hearts/mind/souls.

 

If we want a bountiful harvest in them we must take the time to nurture the soil of their hearts/minds/souls.

 

Taking time to pour good into them, take time to add nutrition and value to their minds their hearts 

 

We must daily  and constantly be  adding to the soil because one day a garden will grow.

 

We must test the soil of their minds/hearts/souls to see where it lacks substance so that we can

make the necessary changes to ensure that they are getting what they need to thrive.

 

How can we cultivate the soil of their minds/hearts/souls?

 

5 Ways to Cultivate the soil of the minds/hearts/souls of your children

 

 

1)Guard what they hear

The hears are what send messages to the mind. The things they hear will become thoughts they think. What do our children hear from us? How do they hear us talk about them? How do they hear us speak towards them/tone? What do they hear when we aren't around? Do we guard what messages they listen to via. internet/T.V/Sunday School/School/Family/Friends/Etc.?

 

2)Guard what they see

The eyes are windows to the soul. The things the see, penetrate into the mind what they see they act. What do our children see us doing with our time? Our finances? Our relationships? Our spirituality? Our talents? Our gifts? The way we treat people and treat our spouses?

Do we guard their eyes or do we let them watch every show on T.V and see every latest movie? Do

 

3)Guard what is spoken by them

The tongue is a small member of the body but it can not be tamed

How do our children speak? Do they speak words that edify or tear down? Do our children joke wrongly? Do they mock/scoff and laugh at righteousness and our authority? Are they thankful?

Do we guard what words they say and how they say it? Do we guard how other people speak to them?

 

4)Guard their deed

A action becomes a habit a habit becomes a lifestyle a lifestyle makes a person

Are the actions and behaviors of our children important to us? Do we guard behaviors/actions that we see them displaying? Do we encourage good behavior or do we feel like we are being to "religious" to encourage morality in them? Do we guard morality in their behaviors? Do we guard what influences of behavior we allow our children to encounter? Do we guard what company they keep?

 

5)Guarding a thankful spirit

Do we encourage and instill thankfulness in everything ? Are our children thankful? Do we help them be thankful by pointing out there is much to be thankful for? Do we guard a thankful spirit? Are we constantly pointing out the blessings?

 

 

 

 

Think of these 5 things as soil building materials essential for a garden.
 

Take each one of these materials and apply them daily

Let me know how it goes

 I'd love to hear from you

 

Raising Girls 3 ways to teach them their greatest need.....

Being a mom of 2 girls really does have its perks. They never need a reason to have tea parties, play with their baby-dolls, sew and cook something spontaneous. There is never a reason to wear something pretty or comb their hair, never a reason to paint your toes or smile. Its just so much fun.

I know that being a mom of girls comes with great responsibility. It is my job to train and teach them how to be a homemaker, most of this training comes in the form of observation. As they observe me, my conduct and attitude, it really shapes their perception of homemaking later in life.

While its easy for me to get caught up in training them to be a homemaker to be a great wife one day. I mustn't forget that I must train them in their greatest need, and frankly their greatest need isn't in knowing how to be a great homemaker or how to be a great wife or how to be a wonderful mommy.

The greatest need of my daughters isn't in teaching them modesty, purity, or wholesome behavior. Now, don't get me wrong those things are all very IMPORTANT  but those things alone is not the greatest need of my daughters.

Their greatest need isn't in knowing how to run and keep a home, how to find a Godly man and how to be a godly submissive wife. No, their greatest need isn't in their beauty or how they dress and how others view them.

No, you see the greatest need of my daughters is to know the one who's image they were made in. To know the one who formed them in my whom, who knew them before they were even born, the one who fashioned them and the one loved them and gave His life for.

Raising girls for me is about teaching them and training them in their value in Jesus. Reminding them while this world will always judge them by their outward appearance and outward works, the Lord will always look at their heart. I want them to know first and above all else that they need Jesus that they desperately need Jesus, that he is the remission for their sins.

Now, we as homemakers may fall short in many areas of our homemaking but this is one area that I don't want to fail in. I DONT WANT TO FAIL TRAINING MY GIRLS IN THEIR GREATEST NEED.

I want them to know that having a husband and being a homemaker isn't their greatest need that having children isn't their greatest need, they need to know and understand that their greatest need will always be JESUS. Yes, those things are not bad and yes I am called to train them to be ladies, lovers of good, homemaking, being a great wife etc. but my focus should always be JESUS.

3 Tips in Training them In Jesus

1)Teach them about sin and its heartbreaking/devastating effects and warn them of the dangerous of it

Read lots of stories about sin and the consequences of it, read scripture to them and as you go about talk about sins devastating effects, warn the of its dangerous of its snares and how to avoid being caught up in it. Let them talk to other girls/women about the consequences of sin and choices they made.

2) Teach them to love truth

My girls love visuals and love when I explain things using visuals or prop's. I will often use analogies to get across a point. I want them to love the truth and teach them the importance of truth.

3)Be thankful and love Jesus be an example

When it comes to teaching/training them in Jesus is by being an example, if I want them to love Jesus, then I must love Jesus, If I want them to read the scriptures then I must read the scriptures, if I want them to worship Jesus then I must worship Jesus and be an example to them.


My girls will always be trained in that they are beautiful because Jesus Loves them and that is what makes them beautiful, that they are fearfully and wonderfully made and its because they were made in His image. Teach them to never settle.