Wisdom From Zeke, at the Farm in Owl Hollow, Tennessee
Howdy folks. Well it’s August already, hard to believe. It was a hot one working the fields today. Looks like our apples will be ready in a couple of weeks. Our trees in the orchard are loaded this year. We sell several boxes in town at Sid and Else’s General Store. Lizzy makes apple butter and takes dozens of jars to the Store. Town folks pretty much clean Sid’s shelves when he stocks Lizzy’s apple butter. We have a lot of apples to eat and Lizzy always makes pies. I mentioned earlier we have 4 kids, 2 boys and 2 girls, all married with kids. Right now I think the count on the grandkids is 12, but I suspect that number will increase. I bring up our kids, because we share our bounty with them. The whole family loves apples, especially Lizzy’s apple pies. We turned over 2 acres to each of our kids so they could plant and harvest a garden for their families.
There is a large wooded area next to our property. Many years ago, when I was a teenager, I found a large patch of blackberries and in another area there was a large patch of blueberries. I was over there a few days back to check on them. The blueberries will be ready next week and the blackberries the second week of September. We all can’t wait. Blackberries, with a little sugar and milk, can’t beat it. Also, Lizzy makes cobblers with both of the berries. I am getting hungry telling you folks about them. Both berry patches have always produced several gallon buckets of berries, so I don’t expect this year to be different. You have to watch where you step, because apparently Copperhead snakes also like the berries. Maybe they go there to ambush birds and rodents. I don’t care, just don’t want them to ambush us. I won’t kill them, but will move them to another area.
I am chasing rabbits here and need to get back to my original thoughts. Worked in our pumpkin patch today so we can harvest the first part of October. Looks like we will have a very good harvest of pumpkins this year. After supper Lizzy and I were sitting on the front porch in our rockers looking out at our yard. We have an acre in grass in the front of our house. We keep it mowed for the grandkids to play in when they come over. It was just getting dark, kind of twilight, and the lightning bugs were coming out. Some call them fireflies. We used to catch them and put them in jars when I was a kid. Our grandkids are doing the same thing.
I remarked to Lizzy that God has truly blessed us by providing fruit and vegetables to sell and use for our families. We have been truly committed to being good stewards in everything that God has given us. We religiously take care of our plants and trees.
I asked Lizzy, “Do you think we are as committed to God as we are to our farm?” I asked myself, “Am I 100% committed to doing what God has called me to do?” Lizzy said all Christians can improve in this area and I agree. I already mentioned we don’t have daily access to current news. We get our news every Saturday when we go to the General Store in town. It seems to me, based on what I hear that God’s clock is winding down, and He is about to pull the rug out from under the sin that abounds in the world today.
I told Lizzy that the Bible tells us we cannot know the day and hour that Jesus is coming back for the church, but we can know the season. I believe we are in the season and harvest time is near. We both agree we should be more bold in sharing the Gospel with people around us, because time is short and so many people are lost. Friends, even relatives think they have their ducks in a row when it comes to where they will spend eternity, but I think not. They don’t even know where some of their ducks are and I suspect some are pigeons. We must tell them about Jesus.
We have a great Church and Pastor. Our congregation is average size and people are very friendly. Most of our members are dedicated and come to church regularly, unless they are sick or out of town. But I wonder just how many are fully committed to Jesus.
I heard a story some time back about a World War Two, Japanese Kamikaze pilot who flew 21 missions. You see, he was dedicated but not committed.
To be committed, the Bible says we must crucify ourselves daily or maybe hourly for some folks. This means we must put Jesus first in our lives above our wants, desires and circumstances.
I was talking to BB at his Barber Shop a few days ago. We were talking about being committed to Jesus. He was telling me about an underground church that was meeting. He couldn’t remember what country, but worshipping God openly was very dangerous. He said according to the article there were about 2 dozen Christians including children meeting and worshipping. There was a knock on the door and the people were startled. The home owner opened the door and 6 soldiers came in with rifles pointed at the people. The soldier in charge said they were going to shoot everyone that would not renounce Jesus as their God, including the children. They went around the room and asked each individual to turn their back on Jesus. They all refused. The soldiers laid down their rifles and said they too were believers and had to be sure if every person in this group was committed to Jesus.
How would you react? I hope my commitment would pass the test.
Lizzy said we must keep growing in our faith, by studying, meditating and applying God’s Word to our lives with a goal of becoming more Christlike. I thank God every day that He brought Lizzy into my life.
Well, as always it has been great talking to you all. We must stay focused, and keep growing in the Lord. Commit with us to share Jesus to a lost world.
Until the next time,
God Bless – Zeke and Lizzy