Farmers Planting Seeds
I have a very limited knowledge of farming; however, I have many friends that live on farms, work on farms, are married to farmers of all shapes and sizes. I never really considered myself much of a farmer. I do enjoy the crops and products our farmers produce, but I never really thought of myself as a farmer - until the last couple of years.
The women I teach with every day at St. Mary’s School junior high are farmers (teachers), and they graciously allow me to plant with them every year. As a junior high team, we meet weekly to check in with each other, see how things are going, update each other on the comings and goings of our students. As our team has grown and developed over the last 3 years, we have often used the phrase, “Keep planting those seeds,” “All we can do is plant those seeds.”
Amanda, Denise, Kelly, and myself are all junior farmers who use different methods to achieve a healthy crop. Amanda (math) is a productive farmer with high energy and patience who is looking for a high yield. She is all about growth. Denise (social studies/science) is an organized farmer with a detailed plan on how her crops are expected to do, when they will do it, and is always ready. Kelly (religion) is a farmer who can handle a sudden thunderstorm or drought without much trouble and with grace. Me (English), well, I am high energy and loud, my rows are a little uneven, and sometimes the thunderstorm or the drought knock me on my rear, but I keep getting back up. Luckily, the four of us have each other in our farm co-op and we lean on each other through all of the highs and lows in the life of a farmer.
We are continually drawing up plans or plotting out a map to help us figure out how to nurture our seedlings. The strong ones with a dominant trait that could use a little softening or the weaker seeds that maybe don’t have the greatest projected growth but lots of potential, and the average seedling that hasn’t quite reached its full potential yet but projections are good.
Our seedlings need lots of water, sunlight, patience, time, technology - but not too much, and of course love and faith. Love and faith are truly the only things all living things need to grow.
We pray daily asking for grace and patience and strength to keep planting our seeds of knowledge, experience, and wisdom, and to try to open hearts, help nurture and love the beautiful souls being sent to our school. As our growing season is in its last quarter, we are hopeful and confident that the roots of our seedlings will take hold and they will continue to grow and prosper. Please continue to pray for our crops and farmers! Have a blessed weekend.