Saturday, February 5, 2011

Reaping What We Sow


We've all heard the scripture, "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously." - 2 Corinthians 9:6

Today when logging into my Facebook account, this came to mind while mindlessly waiting for my crops to yield their harvest in Frontierville. Yes, this is another game similar to Farmville. I was growing impatient waiting while I wanted to complete a quest and be finished. Of course what I failed to understand was in the waiting, I could be helping. Helping others get to where I am. Even though it's a game, the lesson behind it all comes full circle when we compare it to areas of our life.

I have just a few short months and my oldest, Caitlyn, will be graduating. In this short period of time, I look back and reflect just how much sowing and reaping has been taking place in her life. From the time of taking care of her when she was a baby and all the things in raising a child involve, there isn't much reaping but tons of sowing.

You hope that the lessons you are passing along the way will bear much great fruit. Sometimes, however we find as parents there comes a time to prune some of those branches that aren't producing anything.

What I have also found is that there are periods of time along the way where it seems like there are great seasons of harvest and you get back so much love in return. Now in the high school years, it seems like we sow so much and water but nothing seems to grow. We wonder if we have planted anything at all. How many times have you found yourself questioning if they are hearing us at all?

Looking ahead, I know that she will come full circle and when Steve and I are learning to harvest a different crop in our empty nest years, is when that crop we sowed with Caitlyn and Kailee will finally begin bearing much fruit. We will look back with great love and joy and see that a seed planted with God's love, will never fail to produce. It may take awhile, in some cases years, but it will come back to you.

5 comments:

Rita said...

What a wonderful post. Sometimes when they are in those teen years, you wonder if they learned much of anything from you. Then when they are out on their own and you see the lives they are living, it gives you much joy! Thanks for the reminder.

Jules said...

You know, I never thought of it that way. I too play Frontierville (and Farmville, Petville, Cityville, etc - way too much time on my hands, lol) and sometimes grow impatient waiting. Maybe I can take from this post and start being more proactive in helping my "neighbors" along!

Thanks for a beautiful post!!

LV said...

All you can do it plant the seed, take care of it growing and let the good Lord do the rest. I am sure your girls will do just fine.

Cathy said...

Excellent post. Love the analogy. Love the encouragement as I have one that is a college freshman and one that's a high school freshman.

Unknown said...

I had the same realization yesterday but I love how you expressed it more than I could. My ex and I started tape recording our daughters from the time they were barely able to speak. Sometimes, it was just family chatter at the dinner table or sitting down, having them sing songs and speak their memory verses from school or church. I listened to one of the tapes yesterday and amidst the feeling of fighting back tears, I realized just how much was sown into them. I look at who they are now and see that I'm reaping so many blessing of having planted so much into their lives.

You and Steve are doing so very well with raising God loving, faith believing daughters.