Sowing seeds?

The Gospel this week is the parable of the sower, this farmer who tossed seeds everywhere. On the path, on the rocks, in the thorns and in good soil. Rather than think of ourselves as being a particular kind of soil or having times in life when we tend to be thorny or rocky rather than well-tilled and receptive, I wonder if we might think of how we need to be gardeners.
I like the image of the constant gardener that was posted to revgalblogpals. Certainly, we all contain the various types of soil, even though God made us as good soil, but I believe we are called to tend the garden, to do the weeding and to get rid of the rocks. Both within ourselves and in the world. So how do we do that?
Starting with the self is in order, of course. A parishioner was just here and we were talking about conscious language, being deliberately careful of the words we speak. By altering our language and tone, we can stop planting thorns or making rocks. By deciding to live more simply, we can make space for God to work in our lives and that makes it easier for us to become sowers. After all, if we don't sow seed in the soil we have worked so hard to prepare, what's the point? Working to become receptive is only productive if we then receive and nurture the seed to grow and produce good fruit.