Pa got kicked by a horse ...and he was quite bad for a while, but they thought he'd make it. But, he didn't.

Ma: Yer Pa ain't 'round here no more, so I's gonna show 'ow it's done.

(She didn't talk much, as she meant to do exactly as she said ...show 'em.)

(First she showed them the carrot seed in the furrow of her hand ...but she'd already made a furrow in the garden and was very careful not to overseed.  Grass is different ...where you may want to overseed, but hoped they'd remember for next year, so she wouldn't have to constantly oversee.)

(Next came the lettuce ...and the same thing was true for it.  Overseeding meant there'd be not room for growth, and it would have to be thinned later.)

Ma: Oh, Kaye ...my back's feelin' a bit sore, ya think yer ready to dig tha row?"

Kaye:  I'm okay with doin' that.

Ma: And oh, Tuit, ya think ya can help yer sister.  When she begins the row, ya can foller 'er and drop the corn seed in.  Pa always sed the best way wuz three together an' a shoe apart.

(Kaye got right to it, but Tuit hadn't quite listened right ...just dropping the corn as it spilled out of the sack)

Ma: Tuit, if'n ya don't do it right, it won't grow right.  An' Pa always sed a boy sleeps bedder in his bed at night if'n he does his best.

There are perhaps endless possible responses Tuit could present. Here are a few of them:

1. "Don't hassle me, I'll get around to it!"
2. "I'm not going to even try anymore ...because whatever I do is never good enough for Ma!"
3. "I hate my sister ...she always tries to put on a show to make me look bad!"
4. (silently to self) "I'll do even worse, then I won't even be asked to do anything anymore!"
5. "Maybe I should pay closer attention ...I know I'm not doing my best!"
6. "Sister, can you help me out ...and point out some things I'm doing wrong, and how I can do better?"

(I was in a situation where Dad had my brother and me chopping wood.  I was not utilizing #4, attempting to do so bad that I'd get out of the work ...but, the fact is, after breaking three ax handles, Dad said, "No more for you! You splint more ax handles than wood!"  Chopping wood seemed fun, but I was overreaching with my chop.  And having to haul and stack the wood that my brother chopped may have been slightly easier, but not much ...and not much fun either.)

The parable of the Sower ...addresses not just a farmer's instructions on how to grow crops.

It would appear to address our hearts.

• Hard
• Stony
• Thorny
• Good

Yes, hardness of heart could be cultivated, but it's in the path, going place to place ...with the birds making all kinds of noisy racket as they snatch away any seed.

Stony is when our life gets  a bit rocky, or difficult.  Our interest was there for a bit ...but, too many barriers are built along a stone fence line.

Thorny doesn't necessarily choke us off ...but sort of grows up along and becomes a part of us, and if we try to grow independently, those sharp thorns can be rather effective in prodding us back.

The good is when we groom or cultivate by reading the Word of God, and drawing nourishment from it.  We reach deep with our roots, so difficult times can be endured.

Okay, not to just read God's Word and give our interpretation ...in the Book of Matthew, Chapter 13, we read precisely what Jesus said, so we don't need to interpret or give our own take on it.

Jesus said:
 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.  But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

It's not the size of the seed ...it's the choice of soil we send our roots into.

And it's not my cents worth ...but, Who it is that was sent for us.

God sent His Son, Jesus ...and we should broadcast that truth, so the whole world can also take root and grow.