One of the phrases that my nearly 87 year old mother often repeats, as old women are apt to do, is “Your father would have loved….fill in the blank.” Rhubarb pie, a new baby, a good dog story, a grandchild’s college graduation, you name it, we all know what Dad would have loved.

Well, one thing he would not have loved is the penchant I have for showering my flowers with Miracle Gro. He hated the stuff, along with anything else that could either synthetically entice geraniums to bloom profusely or bugs to die on the literal vine. My dad was an organic gardener, a compost zealot, a manure connoisseur.

I often think of my dad and his gardening philosophy when it comes to relationships both with God and with other people. Too often books and articles that define and describe “biblical” relationships within the home and the rest of the body of Christ are anything but natural or organic. Instead, they are contrived and mechanical, propped up by gimmicks or ideals that have stood neither the test of time nor the wisdom of the ages. Often they even defy common sense. They may get results, even spectacular ones, but at what price?

Over the next few weeks I am going to look at what organic, natural, God-glorifying, and people edifying relationships look like, what it takes to make them happen, and what some of the threats are to their existence.

Organic gardeners will tell you that there are two very important things to know. The first one is that organic gardening involves continually replenishing your resources, making sure that you are adding healthy, nutritious, soil-enhancing material to the garden.

I think that this is one area where homeschooling families, for the most part, shine. Many of the areas of life that threaten a healthy Christian walk are just not part of how we live. We don’t accept wrong behavior as normal and we recognize sin for what it is, doing what we can to avoid it when we see it or repenting of it when we practice it.

Also, many of the materials we use for educating our children are exceptional and have been written specifically for parents as they disciple their children. But we need to always pay particular attention to the content of these resources. Sometimes they contain time-wasting “junk food,” useless trivia that is basically what Mary Pride always called “twaddle.” Other times they include poison, little seeds that are planted that can and often do grow into bad theology and life practice when they come to maturity.

The second thing organic gardeners need to realize is that there is always a bigger picture to consider, that growing plants naturally means cooperating with all of nature, seeing your own small garden as part of our whole Eco system.

There is a tendency within homeschooling families to become so self consumed and inwardly focused that we miss the fact that all Christians are part of the body of Christ, that we must work together to build His spiritual kingdom. The results of our efforts are to bring edification to the body, glory to Christ, and a thirst in others who have not yet tasted of the Living Water. It is as we work toward that end that we will be setting the stage for producing fruit that is pleasing and healthful.

Organic, natural family life does not just happen by itself. Next I will be sharing about the “soil” of organic family life.