Those who know me intimately can tell you that I am not easily impressed.  Not because of my status or standing in life, but because I’m a purist.  I can do without the “bells and whistles” that accompany most things nowadays. I especially appreciate thinking that is genuine, authentic and organic because it represents unadulterated truth.  So when I when I have a conversation, read a book or hear a spiritual dissertation that contains those elements, I take notice.

Recently, I had the pleasure of listening to a visiting pastor, Bishop Dale Bronner, speak at my church. One could tell that he had put great thought and care into each word he spoke. He engaged the audience almost as if he weren’t speaking to a sanctuary of thousands but to one or two of his closest confidants. He impressed me. Not just with the delivery of the message but because he made me take notice.

Bishop Bronner explained that we experience three seasons over the course of our spiritual lives:

His take on the agriculturally-related subject of “sowing and reaping” was so original that it inspired me to write this entry.  Here’s my interpretation of his message and how it applies to our everyday lives. (Bishop Bronner’s excerpted quotes are below in italics).

Do (Planting) Season
“You don’t get what you want; you get what you prepare for…”

• Assess the soil.
  • Before one can plant a crop, s/he must first assess the soil pH levels to measure soil acidity or soil alkalinity. Some crops (e.g. potatoes, strawberries) prefer more acidic soil while others (e.g. cabbages and mustard greens) more alkaline conditions.
    • Just as planting a crop in the wrong soil could prove disastrous, taking on a new job or starting a new venture that isn’t best suited for you could derail you career-wise and/or financially. Before jumping into something new, first assess your strengths and weaknesses.  This type of assessment will provide you with honest feedback about yourself and will provide you with a better focus for expending your efforts.

• Uproot the weeds.
  • Remove all the dead grass, plants and weeds from the area you want to seed as they tend to crowd out or restrict light to more desirable plants or use limited nutrients from the soil. They can harbor and spread plant diseases that infect and degrade the quality of crop.
    • What’s been holding you back?  What have you allowed to restrict you from thriving?  Whatever those things are, remove them.  Holding on to detrimental things too long out of habit, convenience or nostalgia can degrade you, your confidence and your self-esteem.  They can further limit your ability to accomplish your goals.

• Cultivate the land.
  • Enrich the soil by loosening up the soil with a cultivator then adding high quality top soil. Enriching the soil increases its ability to hold water which is necessary for a new crop to grow and thrive.
    • To lay the groundwork for success, you must be cultivated and enriched.  Envision where you wish to be and work backward.  Think about what you’ll need to know and who’ll you need to know in the future and start building your skill set and expanding your network now.  What you don’t know, learn; who you don’t know, get introduced.

• Plant the seeds.
  • Place seeds into newly prepped soil. Lightly rake over the seed to cover it with about 1/4 inches of dirt.  Cover the area with a thin layer of hay or straw to help maintain moisture.
    • Now that you’ve assessed your soil, removed the dead grass and enriched the soil, it’s time to sow.  Think carefully about the crop you wish to plant. You can only reap what you sow.  You can’t sow corn and reap tomatoes.  You can’t reap a promotion if you haven’t planted the seeds of “cooperation,” “reliability” and “efficiency”.  Plant your crop with your harvest in mind.

Dew (Nurturing) Season
“Prayer is the rain that waters sown seeds…” 

• Water daily.
  • Water your seedlings daily with a sprinkler in the morning or evening to keep the area moist, but not soggy. If the area is too wet, it will drown the seeds or wash them away. Keep watering until the crop is well established. 
    • Faith and hope are integral to the growth of your crop.  If you don’t believe in what you’ve planted and hold on to the hope you have for a bountiful harvest, then your crop of dreams and aspirations will die. Daily affirmation of who you are and what you can accomplish helps banish doubt and prepares you for success.  Believe in yourself. You can do anything you put your mind to do.  Be aware, however. Too much affirmation can lead to over-confidence which can cause your focus to shift from your goals to your ego. 

Due (Harvesting) Season
“Once you have sown, you must expect a harvest.  Be patient.  You can’t seize what you can’t see…

• Look, with expectancy, for your harvest.
  • After 10 to 14 days, you should start seeing growth.  
    • My grandfathers (both farmers) would always tell me that harvesting was a delicate matter.  Harvesting too soon would result in poor yield and sub-par crop quality. Harvesting too late would result in a greater yield but inconsistent weather conditions could affect crop quality. Timing, they stressed, was everything.

The same holds true for those goals and dreams that you’ve sown and nurtured.  Move away of the “microwave mindset”.  Instant does not mean better. Don’t allow your anxiety and/or desperation to dictate your destiny.  Your harvest is guaranteed to come; remember, you’ve sown for it.  You’ll soon see growth, even if in small increments.  Enjoy the process, celebrate your progress to date and take joy in what is to come.

FINAL THOUGHT
Some people dream of success…while others wake up and work hard at it.  ~Author Unknown