Seed

A seed is life rather it be through germination or incubation. All seeds remain inactive until conditions are right for the process of life to begin. My background, my teachings, my surroundings in my formative years and my experiences seem to determine the direction of my thoughts. A seed has such value to us whether it feeds us spiritually or nourishes our bodies or adds another living, breathing soul to our earth.

I think of my life in the pecan bottom, next to Deep Fork River on sixty acres. We harvested a massive half an acre garden. A garden of this size had to be plowed by tractor; a rototiller would not get it. To plant, you had to tie a croaker sack around your neck full of seed and go down the rows dropping the seed (similar to Johnnie Appleseed pictures you have seen) while someone walked behind you with a hoe, covering the seeds. Try to imagine row after row of corn, mustard greens, potatoes, several varieties of onion, lettuce, green beans, beets, carrots, cucumbers, several varieties of watermelon, cantaloupe, tomatoes, squash, bell peppers, hot peppers and don’t forget the turnips. Imagine hoeing those rows in the summer heat! So much work with great rewards! Can you imagine the joy on our faces and the yummy in our tummies when a meal from the garden was prepared accompanied by fried pork chops, fresh from the hog you butchered last month.

Then, I think of how I am challenged to have faith each day and the strongest faith is equated to the same mustard seed that I planted for the nourishment of my body. My faith can’t grow and the mustard seed can’t grow in the garden when the conditions aren’t right. But when the conditions are right, mountains can and are moved in life’s challenges and mounds of dirt burst open to bring forth the sprouts of seed germination leading to that great pot of mustard greens.

Matthew 17:20 reads, He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.