It’s Planting Time

My daughter recently called about planting some sweet potatoes.  She reminded me it is a good time to plant them so they would be grown by Fall.  One of the most stubborn spiritual rules in the universe is ‘whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap….”

What I want to offer parents and young people today is the idea that it is time to establish principles in home and life.   I remember my parents planting the garden in Spring so we could enjoy watermelons in August.  No seeds-no watermelon.  As parents, it is our responsibility to take the lead.  Now is a good time to plant some important values that will reap  great rewards in the future.

It is time to plant healthy boundaries in the home.  Instead of parents saying clearly, “here are our family rules…” some parents just hope their children will absorb the values and ideas in the family.  The truth is that children and youth observe, absorb and are shaped daily by people, friends, movies, iphones, images, all around them in school, and community.  Plant boundaries and you create the environment for accountability and mutual trust.  When parents are ambivalent, youth presume they can do as they wish.  Establish boundaries on drinking drinking, unsupervised parties, curfews, pornographic images on phones and computers, sexual activity, and money.  The results are responsibility, self esteem, absence of legal problems and absence of addictions.

Now is the time for young people to plant also.   Choose friends well.  If you can’t say no to your friends’ suggestions and habits then it is time to accept your weaknesses and admit you can’t hang around certain people without following their behaviors.  Plant honesty with parents.  Keeping secrets is a sign something is not the way it should be.  You will have your own interests, your own opinions, your own feelings and beliefs.  But maintaining honesty and respect means you are planting good character for yourself.  The result will be a life without regret.  Keeping great values bring high self esteem, and self confidence.

If both parents and youth plant well then both will enjoy the rewards of good character, growing spirituality, positive relationships, and significantly less trouble than your friends are having.