I want to tell you a story our pastor told us in church a few weeks ago. Once upon a time an old man was planting chestnut trees in the forest. A king came along and said, “What are you doing, you old fool? By the time these trees get big enough to drop chestnuts, you won’t be here to eat them.”

The old man replied, “If I thought like you do my king, I’d never have enjoyed a chestnut. I’m planting these trees for the next generation. So the children will have chestnuts.”

Fifty years ago, I wish someone had planted chestnut trees on our property. But fifty years from now, when I’m probably gone, the chestnuts will be here for someone to gather.

My mom, Oma (I call her Johnny Apple Seed, the tree lady), recently brought us chestnut trees. We planted them last weekend. Along with all kinds of other trees my parents have given us in the past nine years, our land is becoming productive orchards. Presently, we are putting in more fruit trees. Farming appears to be our future. I should have known this the day I ran our soil through my fingers. Black dirt as rich as coffee with just the right amount of river sand. “You have the prettiest dirt I’ve ever seen,” said the county inspector who gave us the go ahead to build our house. “You better farm this land.”

And so we have. Our sons with shovels taller than they are helped dig the holes for the trees. My parents, Oma and Opa, in their seventies now, working alongside their grandkids to leave a legacy of chestnuts for the next generation. Actually not chestnuts, mostly walnuts and several acres of peach, pluot, apricot, and almond trees.

In the Bible, Jesus talks a lot about farmers. And though most of us don’t farm the land, we all cultivate a life. We all grow things for the future.

Sit down and think about what you really want to grow in your life.

Just this week, I told Scott I don’t want to raise our second family with cell phones. Our first three kids are all but grown, but our four little boys have years before they leave the nest. I’m sick of cell phones. iPads are starting to bug me, too.

On our anniversary trip we stopped at a restaurant. The lobby was full of folks waiting for tables. I try not to take my iPhone out of the car when I’m out and about these days. So there I sat with empty hands, staring at a little girl, about three years old, who stared back at me with empty hands. I kid you not, everyone else in that lobby was texting and tapping on their phones, about thirty people. Scott was on his phone checking his messages (thankfully, my husband isn’t on his phone much). The little girl’s family were all on their phones. Five older siblings and both the little girls’ parents all tied to their phones, ignoring that small child. It was Sunday afternoon, a wonderful time for families, and all the people in that lobby where in their own little world, doing their own little thing, on their own little phone. I couldn’t believe it.

What has happened to our society?

Before we planted all our trees, we had to get rid of the weeds. And now it’s the biggest thing we fight in our orchards. Weeds. I’m starting to look at cell phones like weeds. I realize there will always be weeds, and weeds can be fun– like dandelions– but we need to control them. They certainly don’t need to take over our homes and families.

I want to plant chestnuts: leave good things behind for the next generation. I plan to sit on our porch and visit with my kids and grandkids, and the porch will be a no phone zone just like our dinner table. Sunday dinners is already a tradition in our family. Nearly every Sunday we eat with Oma and Opa and sometimes their neighbor and friends. The kids know our Sunday dinners are sacred, just like going to church. We do our best not to miss either. Sometimes we fight in the car on the way there, but the battle is worth it.

Growing a family is like farming. It takes hard work and diligence. Plenty of sweat. And most of all a lack of selfishness. Sacrifice is required. Because this doesn’t come naturally to me, every morning I pray God helps me die to myself and live for others.

And live for Jesus.

And plant chestnuts.