Connections

‘In .3 miles bear left,’ I said, having turned off the annoying lady on the SatNav. At least I don’t whine on about recalculating every time we have to make adjustments. But just how far is .3 miles? Tricky to know when it’s time to turn or need to remain on the road we were on. Despite my crazy directions which led to many U-Turns, Don didn’t lose his temper. He calmly adjusted our direction and we tried again. For some reason, Bristol was the worst, despite having a major landmark by which we could navigate.

It wasn’t always my poor navigation which led to our turning round. Road Closed Ahead. Twice we had to recalculate and were grateful for the book of maps. Accident on the Edinburgh By-Pass which we heard on the travel report and then found ourselves threading our way through Leith. Snow Gates Closed on the Cairn o’Mount (really! No snow yet, thankfully!) which necessitated a return to the motorway.

We drove about 2,000 miles, from one coast to another round the UK. We reconnected with friends and family. We reminisced, ate together, made new memories. We discovered treasures of geology, history, architecture, and literature which we didn’t know were there. Ironbridge. Lulworth Cove. Wells Cathedral. Ipswich. Whitby and Robin Hood Bay. Lindisfarne.

We came home expecting to find our huge crop of plums would have ripened and rotted while we were away. The morning we left, we discovered one branch had buckled and torn under the weight of the fruit, and we thought we would lose it all. But no. It’s all perfect. Even the plums on the broken branch, which remained connected enough to the trunk to continue to draw nourishment and provide fruit.

Travelling is full-on. It’s hard to find quiet space to connect with God. But even when the connection is weak from my side, He never lets go, and hopefully he can still provide fruit for others.

Isn't it beautiful?

A month ago, our cherry trees were literally dripping with cherries, which for some reason the pigeons ignored. Freezer full now, some jam made, many cherries didn’t get picked. I just couldn’t reach.

Now I look out and the apple trees are drooping towards the ground, so heavy is the fruit on their branches. Big, healthy-looking apples, not yet ready, but when they are, there will be apple butter, crumbles, pies, sauce.

Even the plum tree, which has never done much, has a healthy crop beginning to ripen.

And yet, the raspberries were poor quality and scarce. The strawberries were small, though sweet. There aren’t many blueberries.

I’m no horticulturist, but it’s evident that weather conditions which bless some fruits, harm others.

So it is with people. A climate of corruption can encourage some to let their integrity flower and grow fruit to feed those whose hope is waning. Or it can tempt people to participate in corruption.

We are not to live like people who have no hope, the Bible claims. When the storms of negativity, of fake news and alternative truth buffet our world, we are to look up. He who started a good work in us will not leave it incomplete. Filled with his Spirit of hope, the joy of the Lord as our strength, we are the cherry and apple trees in my garden, feeding the hungry poor.

This is the day the Lord has made. Isn’t it beautiful?