My husband loves trees...any type of tree...fruit trees, oak trees, pine trees, the great sequoias -- you name it -- he loves them. He has a special love for pecan trees. Years ago he planted three pecan trees in the front yard. They were nothing more than a stick when he planted them but now they are quite large.
Since they began to produce pecans, he's had an ongoing war with the squirrels. They were the bane of his existence every fall. If it was a good year and there was a crop, the little devils would do all the harvesting before they fell -- which kept us from reaping any of the bounty! There would be a pile of pecan shells encompassing the base of each tree several inches deep! BAH!
So one year, he decided that one way or the other, he was going to keep them out of his trees. He bought sheet metal roof flashing and wrapped it around the trunk of each tree so it would be impossible for them to climb! And let me tell you, it isn't attractive! Any passerbys would be certain that the Clampetts of the Beverly Hillbillies got tired of the California life and moved to Texas! I can just hear Elly May saying, "Paw...what'd ya do that fer?"
So we had great spring rains and it's pecan harvesting time at our house! I love it...it's like an adult Easter egg hunt every day! It's best to go slow and shuffle your feet through the grass and fallen leaves...otherwise you might miss them. I feel like the woman in the parable of the lost coin...searching and scanning the ground for each little golden nugget and then rejoicing when one is found. I keep looking and find another and another. It's a bountiful harvest!
The harvesting makes me think of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. (John 4:1-42. I love this passage of scripture. There are so many lessons here.) Jesus and His disciples were heading for Galilee and took the quickest, shortest route through Samaria -- a route that Jewish people didn't take. After the woman's amazing visit with the Savior, she hurried back into town to tell others that she thinks she has encountered the true Messiah! Verse 30 says that the town's people came to see for themselves. And Jesus tells His disciples, "Open you eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest." I believe that they were seeing a crowd of Samaritans on their way to see Jesus! After the urging of the town's people, Jesus stayed with them two more days. Many came to know that this man Jesus really was the Savior of the world.
It was a bountiful harvest!
There was purpose in every action of Jesus. Going through Samaria to get to Galilee more quickly wasn't His mission. He was deliberate. Harvesting was the mission.
So this pecan harvesting is a Spirit lesson for me...to slow down, to pay attention, to be the Lord's servant and see -- really see others who might be in need of a Savior.
Lord, help us to live deliberately for you every day. Help us to know that you surround us with your presence and protection so that we may fearlessly face whatever comes our way. We want to sow seeds for your Kingdom so there will be a bountiful harvest.
Love till next time,
Lanna
For your consideration:
Luke 15:8-10
John 4:1-42
Ephesians 6:10-18
PS -- For those of you too young to remember the Beverly Hillbillies -- catch an episode on Hulu or Youtube. It might be good for a laugh or two -- at least I remember it being pretty funny at the time!)
