Welcome to Homegrown Harvest: Our blog on life as a growing family.

“The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

— Jesus of Nazareth (Mark 4:26-29)

Are you tired of feeling apathetic, as if just getting through a day’s endless routines has become enough? Are you tired of settling for a “just surviving” attitude? Do you want to leave a legacy? We do.

Jesus words above show, in the least, that the kingdom of God will grow and is growing even now, even though it isn’t plainly visible. It’s taking root wherever the soil is right, and one day, there will be no place on earth where the light and truth of this kingdom will not extend. For now, we sow the word of God,¹ and cultivate the soil, ever knowing it is only God who makes it grow.²

Over the years of reading the gospels, it becomes clearer that Christians should seek the kingdom in every sphere of their lives. The Sermon on the Mount, for instance leaves no room for compartmentalizing the ethics of the kingdom. And when it comes to worshiping God our Creator and Redeemer, the Bible see no distinction between public and private life, or between Sunday morning and the rest of the week.

Probably most of us have been more or less taught to value our public image more than what goes on in private. But Jesus exposed this kind of value system through His sharp rebuke of the Pharisees. Let’s face it: the private life is a big deal. It says more about who we truly are then one thousand facebook posts or any other forum so easily controlled.

Knowing this, we’ve also sadly seen our culture depart from a healthy perspective on family, marriage and parenting. Of course, we don’t want to make these social roles our raison d’être (“reason for living”). Being married or having children is not a source for human dignity or a status that forms our identity. (We belong to Christ – that is our identity.) But neither should these roles be diminished of their importance: they are not only normative, but also inseparable from God’s blueprint for humans to flourish. Just read Genesis 1-2. Unsurprisingly, a myriad of modern studies have highlighted that healthy, loving relationships and a stable home life are crucial for children to excel in their studies and develop into confident, socially functional adults.

“Our home is not a castle for hoarding or self-preservation; it is more like a welcome center.”

This blog will focus on that sphere which is the home life, where the spiritual legacy begins. Our home is not a castle for hoarding or self-preservation; it is more like a welcome center. By God’s grace, many have walked through our doors to be blessed and refreshed as they enjoy a loving and hospitable environment. Thinking of this theologically, we are after all, heirs of the promise that Abraham received from God (Gen. 12) that the nations would be blessed through him. While this promise speaks chiefly of Christ, all believers are an extension of Christ’s grace. What rich calling, that we can be vessels of blessing to others! So we want our home to be increasingly, a place of love and hospitality and obedience to the truth, that nurtures faith. The apostle Paul spoke of Timothy’s mother and grandmother in this way:

We can only wonder why his father wasn’t mentioned. Maybe he wasn’t a believer. But wouldn’t any God-fearing parent want to be remembered this way?

So here we are, parents who are learning every day what it means to seek the kingdom where it counts most: our home life.⁴ Every other sphere will follow. We want to see a “homegrown harvest!”

While there are many joys we experience in our family life, we want to honest about the daily frustrations of schooling and parenting as well. We have hyperactive children, surprise illnesses, sleepless nights, and our own faults to deal with like a deficit in godly patience. Recently, one of us experienced a debilitating accidental injury and we’re working through family needs with that added burden. But we can wholeheartedly obey Jesus knowing that the rule of God is best for human flourishing. We can’t possibly flourish by rebelling against God’s rule. And living with a half-baked commitment to Christ’s Lordship will prove disappointing. But by living coram Deo (before the face of God) by faith, we know we’ll receive the greater blessings.³

“So here we are. . . learning every day what it means to seek the kingdom where it counts most: our home life. Every other sphere will follow.”

So what is this blog about? It is about the joys and challenges of daily life in a normal Christian family. It’s about continually learning practical ways to apply this “homegrown-kingdom” framework just described. It is about our homeschooling endeavors, about gardening, DIY projects, about applying the Bible to our marriage and to parenting. If this seems disorganized, then consider how our human lives are many things in one. It’s messy, but can be fun! It’s crazy, but rewarding. Simply put: this blog is about our passion for God’s plan for human flourishing!

So if you’re a parent, husband or wife, or even just exploring the prospect of marriage and family, we’re here to be a source of encouragement, even amusement. But most of all, to help spur you onto the bigger things in life that deserve our attention and reflection. Because only with our eyes on Jesus and His kingdom and righteousness, will we live in such a way as to leave a spiritual legacy (harvest) that really matters.

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