Farm Kids and Metaphors

Craig and I are both farm kids, raised with animals breeding, birthing, being butchered, milked, grazed and fed. We are familiar with land being plowed, harrowed, fertilized, swathed, combined and raked.  Crops in the field and garden planted as seed, watered, weeded, thinned, harvested.  Fruit being stored and put safely by for winter.  Milk separated.  The butter churned.  Natural rhythm learned.  The law of sowing and reaping respected.  Wildlife being hunted to provide meat not sport.  Dogs being trained to be useful.  Neighbors that came willingly to help.  We have seen horses yoked together.  Watched while it was broke to willingly accept a rider and obey.  Handled reins and a saddle.   We have found where the mama cat hid her kittens in the haystack.  Incubated, doctored and bottle fed offspring abandoned or hurt.  Seen puppies, colts, piglets, rabbits and calves suckle and nurse.  Smelled a freshly dug field after a sweet rain.  Wondered at the rich soil of a field left to rest for a year.  Picked the rocks and thistles that plagued the same.  Stood under chaff being separated from the wheat. Ground it for flour.  Chopped wood, sharpened the axe, oiled the leather.  Watched yeast work its magic.  Seen hens lay eggs, nest and hatch a brood.  Seen them protect them under their wings and even give their life up to save them. 

Scripture is vibrant with metaphors that are familiar to us either first hand or by recent stories.  We can still relate to them and draw the proper comparison.  

What about our children?