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Seed Corn
By mstrohm | April 10, 2008
It has been some time since I have walked through Illinois corn fields with my dog. I love the Pennsylvania rolling hills and green trees but every once in a while I do miss the vastness of acre upon acre of corn.
For the most part the acres of corn are never touched by a farmer’s hand. Machines turn over the ground, plant, weed, spray and harvest the corn. Farmers simply do not have enough time to mess with the corn stalks. That is except for the select stalks they intend to use for seed corn. There is a distinct difference between the ways Illinois farmers treat their seed corn verses their feed corn.
While the farmer seems to place much concern on efficiency, carefully watching costs, his seed corn gets great care. Seed corn rows are carefully marked, have special farm equipment to detassle, get the best fertilizer and irrigation systems. It is not uncommon to see individuals walking through rows inspecting the seed corn.
While I have never interviewed a farmer as to why the difference in treatment I personally have several reasons why Ellen and I have spent so much time and money on our children – our seed corn. Over the years many have questioned why Ellen and I have invested so much into our children including providing Christian school, missions trips, Christian camps, Christian clubs, Sunday School, hour upon hour of teaching and training some of these at great financial cost and time investment. Just like the farmer who takes great care and expense out of concern for the future, so Ellen and I have chosen to invest in our children to provide for their futures. We truly believe Psalms 127:3
which states: “Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him.” How could we possibly treat a heritage any differently?
In Deuteronomy 11:18-21 God encourages his people to “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the LORD swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.” Cleary God also sees sons and daughters as the farmer sees his “seed corn” worthy of a higher investment than the time and money we put into mere objects.
Proverbs 22:6 declares we should “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Thank you for your investment in the lives of your children. Thanks not only for providing a Christian School education, but thanks for bringing them to Church each Sunday, for teaching and correcting them according to God’s Word.
Since your children may not thank you for all you do, allow me to commend you for all the extra effort you invest in your children.
May God’s grace and peace be with you, especially as you invest and take extra care for your little “seed corn plants,”
Mark Strohm, Jr.
Elementary Principal
Delaware County Christian School
Topics: From Ellen, Parenting |