History & Family

• Jun. 7, 2006 - The deal with roots. . .

Thanks for all the responses on the last post. . .  For today, I have yet another gardening/homeschooling analogy. Several weeks ago, I purchased some herbs to plant.  With two lovely pots just outside my front door, I wanted to plant my favorite (and most often used) herbs in the pots.  So, the dill went in one and the basil went in t'other. A week ago, I noticed that the dill had grown about 3 feet (I'm not kidding) and has completely taken over the pot (which also has a few pansies in it).  The basil, meanwhile, hasn't grown one quarter of an inch.  It was a bit dismaying, after all, I love basil and THAT is the one I would want to have grown the 3 feet.  And, then, on Monday, as I was grocery shopping, I saw a lovely tall basil plant for $3.48. Hmmm.  I could buy that nice tall plant and set it in the 2nd pot, and then just transfer my unproductive basil to an out-of-the-way spot.  Unfortunately, I didn't realize when I bought the basil that it had been grown in water and had just a tiny bit of roots on the end.  When I lifted my old basil out of the pot, it had lots and lots of roots. Hmmm.  Lots of roots or lots of height.  I'll go for the height. Bad choice.  The next morning, when I went to check on it, my lovely tall basil was bent over, wilted, looking altogether wobegone.  Meanwhile, the other basil looks healthy, happy, and ready to grow. That's the deal, isn't it.  We look on the outward appearance - look at how tall they are!!!, while God looks on the heart (how much is below the surface, how healthy are their roots?). When we are homeschooling our children, don't be wowed by the programs that promise to grow your children 3 feet in 3 weeks.  It looks good now, but it doesn't have any roots to it. Growing up, learning, loving to learn, reading, becoming a good helper around the house, all of these things take time.  And sometimes, what we are spending time on is the roots that are growing and getting established, which will in time bring forth the kind of growth that is visible to all. Roots - learning about God     - learning about family     - learning about nature     - learning to love working together     - learning about your heritage     - learning how to get along with others     - learning that reading is interesting!     - learning that learning is fascinating! Give time for the roots. . . and the rest of the plant will grow healthy and strong. BTW, I spoke in Surrey, B.C. this weekend, and it was a wonderful time of making new friends and visiting old.  Thanks to all of you who stopped to chat!  Can't wait to come back!! Diana

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