If the Harvest Never Comes…
Yesterday was going to be a day of rest for me. My final paper for the summer seminary session was submitted, the service for Sunday was ready, my sermon was finished and the only thing on my mind was trying to figure out which of my favorite leisure activities I was going to spend my Saturday afternoon pursuing. When suddenly, I was presented with what my dear friend Sue would call the favor of God. I now had over a half a bushel of tomatoes just begging to be canned. In reality, tomatoes consider it a tremendous honor to find out that sometime this winter they will be included in a batch of my “World Famous Chili."
The problem was that I needed canning lids, lemon juice and another dozen jars, so off to the Dollar General which is the store that employes that beautiful, witty and exceptionally fun cashier, Karen. I remember a year ago buying all of my canning supplies there, and as a matter of fact, they had so much stock at the end of canning season that they were practically giving it away. Unfortunately, this year they had absolutely nothing. So now I am off to Walmart, however, they had only slightly more canning supplies than Dollar General, but at least they had most of what I needed.
So, now I can head back home to start canning, everything was going well until I realized that I forgot the lemon juice, so back to Dollar General to pick up the juice and then back home again. Odie (our dog) is beginning to wonder what on earth I am doing.
Finally, around 11:00PM last night I took the last batch off the stove and we now have 36 pints of tomatoes all ready for the winter and my “World Famous Chili.” As I went to bed I began thinking about the favor of God that began my canning adventure and I realized how blessed that I was. I began to ask myself the question, What if the harvest never came? Would we still praise God? Would we still be thankful for the blessings that we have.
It is easy to praise God when life is going well, but can we praise God with the same enthusiasm when the storms of life are raging around us? Allow me to recommend one of my favorite songs; Praise His Name, which is performed by Jeff and Sheri Easter (what a great name for a Christian)
Yesterday was going to be a day of rest for me. My final paper for the summer seminary session was submitted, the service for Sunday was ready, my sermon was finished and the only thing on my mind was trying to figure out which of my favorite leisure activities I was going to spend my Saturday afternoon pursuing. When suddenly, I was presented with what my dear friend Sue would call the favor of God. I now had over a half a bushel of tomatoes just begging to be canned. In reality, tomatoes consider it a tremendous honor to find out that sometime this winter they will be included in a batch of my “World Famous Chili."
The problem was that I needed canning lids, lemon juice and another dozen jars, so off to the Dollar General which is the store that employes that beautiful, witty and exceptionally fun cashier, Karen. I remember a year ago buying all of my canning supplies there, and as a matter of fact, they had so much stock at the end of canning season that they were practically giving it away. Unfortunately, this year they had absolutely nothing. So now I am off to Walmart, however, they had only slightly more canning supplies than Dollar General, but at least they had most of what I needed.
So, now I can head back home to start canning, everything was going well until I realized that I forgot the lemon juice, so back to Dollar General to pick up the juice and then back home again. Odie (our dog) is beginning to wonder what on earth I am doing.
Finally, around 11:00PM last night I took the last batch off the stove and we now have 36 pints of tomatoes all ready for the winter and my “World Famous Chili.” As I went to bed I began thinking about the favor of God that began my canning adventure and I realized how blessed that I was. I began to ask myself the question, What if the harvest never came? Would we still praise God? Would we still be thankful for the blessings that we have.
It is easy to praise God when life is going well, but can we praise God with the same enthusiasm when the storms of life are raging around us? Allow me to recommend one of my favorite songs; Praise His Name, which is performed by Jeff and Sheri Easter (what a great name for a Christian)
Praise His Name
Words and Music by Bruce Haynes & Lee Hendrix
When you're up against the wall and your mountain seems so tall ,
And you realize, life's not always fair.
You can run away and hide, let the old man decide,
Or you can change you circumstances with a prayer.
When everything falls apart, Praise His Name.
When you have a broken heart, just raise your hands and say,
"Lord, You're all I need, You're everything to me" and He'll take the pain away.
When it seems you're all alone, Praise His Name.
When you feel you can't go on, just raise your hands and say,
"Greater is He, that is within me" you can praise the hurt away.
If you'll just praise His name.
You can overcome by the blood of the lamb and by the word of your testimony.
You'll see the darkness go, as your faith begins to grow.
You're not alone, so how can you be lonely?
Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Luke 12:22-25
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