We couldn’t reach them to harvest, but we should have spread
tarpaulins under the ‘geen’ (wild cherry) trees that line our driveway. Storm
winds stripped the branches and threw the over-ripe but still juicy black
cherries down to give the driveway and grass verges a dose of cherry pox. I dragged
the empty dustbins back to the house, unaware – until I was in the middle of
the carnage – that those cherries would
stain my shoes and threaten our floors. I spent awhile afterwards with a
toothpick to dig out the squashed fruit, and water to wash off the black juice.
With visiting children scheduled for this morning, Don and I
were outside yesterday sweeping and hosing off the vibrant black smashes before
they could stain kids’ shoes and transfer inside.
(I know, this is why it’s a good idea for everyone to leave
their shoes at the door. A habit we never developed.)
Such a shame we couldn’t have harvested more of those sweet
cherries for jam, pies, ice cream …
Lord, may I bear fruit today that enriches lives, warms
hearts, feeds minds, reveals your abundant love and provision for all of your
children. May I be willing to humble myself, to bend down and reach out to
those whose struggles blind them to the sweet provision you offer. May I reach
out to those I read about and offer a word of encouragement, a hand of
friendship, an assurance of the love of God.
Don’t let me cling on to the gifts you give me, until time
spoils and storms batter those gifts and render them useless.
The gifts are for the healing of the nations. Thanks be to
God.
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