Looking to the Ant

One of our gardens

My kids love to talk. Some have been concerned that since we have garrulous olders that the youngers will not talk because they don't have to. It seems much the opposite around here. The more kids we have the louder they are at an earlier age. Everyone seems to think their 2 cents is worth a nickel. Cashiers and librarians are among their favorite ears to bend. Maybe because they are a captive audience. In the summer months gardening is a common cashier ice breaker question. They are probably wondering how in the world I feed all these kids. I'm sure they figure I must have a garden! I can't help but smirk when the kids get this funny look on their face that says, "Are you kidding me? A garden?!" They almost always answer politely that we have a few gardens. In fact we have around 10 or so and not many are smallish. Needless to say my little grubbers usually have dirty nails from weeding. We have gardening unit studies in both the spring and fall when we are either starting seeds in the greenhouse or preserving the years harvest and collecting seeds to use the next season. Last fall our proof text came from Proverbs 6

"Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, Which having no captain, Overseer or ruler, Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest."

Proverbs 6:6-8

I have to admit, I kind of got a kick out of watching them play outside and hearing them call each other "Biblical" names. How can you not laugh when you hear your kids calling each other sluggards when they use it in context? Another text we used was in II Thessalonians.

"For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat." II Thessalonians 3:10

Before I carried snacks in my purse for children I had them for my husband. This strong need to eat on a regular basis must be genetic. People are often surprised our brood will eat anything set in front of them. They snack on all things in the garden from parsley to lima beans from garlic chives to spinach. So this verse from II Thessalonians has been quite a motivator and we've never pulled so many weeds!

Last week Matt decided we needed to freeze sweet corn. We had planted a patch in an out-of-the-way place so we didn't have to look at it all the time. Not only didn't I look at it but I didn't weed it either. Between the 6 foot tall ragweed and the neighbor's cows lumbering through, our corn didn't produce copiously.

A kind and generous neighbor of Matt's folks shared with us and we got 25 quarts put by in 3

hours from field to freezer. Good thing too as we had important things to do that evening.

My sister always comes up with clever parties for her boys. Here I am with another aunt at the "Minute to Win It" birthday party for 2 of my nephews trying to get ping-pong balls out of a Kleenex box tied to my waist.

Another rule we like to follow around here. Work hard, play hard. I think that would be Colossians 3:23. "And whatever you do, do it heartily , as to the Lord and not to men,"