Gleanings…

There are many things that say, “summer’s here!”  Hot weather, vacations, water fights (balloons, hose, what-have-you), and long, sunshiny days—to name just a few.  Around our house, fresh flowers cycle from the garden to the kitchen table and on to the compost bin.  Their beauty and variety are always a blessing.  What a reminder of how much God loves his creation!

I am grateful for those reminders.  Every season has their own, unique expressions of God’s great love, and it is a joy to welcome each one.  Nothing, in my opinion, can come close to flowers, though.  Trees, bushes, vines, wild-growing or stay-at-home annuals and perennials, sweet-smelling or otherwise; their variety provides a constant feast to the eyes.  I love it.

Did I forget to mention how much I love the variety of edibles?  Berries, fruits from trees, melons, and so many great vegetables make summer a delicious season to go along with the beauty of flowers.  I have tomatoes on the vine and I am watching them closely because as the famous song lyrics go, “Only two things that money can’t buy, and that’s true love and home-grown tomatoes.”  Looking forward to tasting the first ones to ripen.

Okay, one more thing to love about summer: Going swimming!  Yes, jumping into the water whether at the pool, the lake, or in the ocean, and feeling that cold, refreshing water on a hot, hot day is a little bit of heaven.

I know that I have not covered all the things that one can love about summer, but I hope that you have picked up that there is much beauty and wonder, and it all comes because at a point long ago, God spoke the word and it happened.  Why did God go to so much trouble to create so much beauty and wonder?  Not because we have earned it, or deserved it, or paid for it.  No, I expect that God went to all that trouble just because God loves creation.

You see, it is not just about us.  All living things get to enjoy the beauty, food, and refreshment of the season.  For that reason, I have to say that God wants to give us good things regardless of who we are, what we look like, or what name we use to address him.  Our words, thankfully, are carried to God by the Spirit who takes all our efforts at praise and petition and translates them into God-speak.  I expect this accounts for God’s continuing gift of love to and for all.

So, I invite you to join with me is saying “Thank You!” to God.  Sing, pray, rejoice, and love; it’s all good.  Then, as much as you are able, get out and enjoy God’s blessings in creation.  What we see now will be here for a season, and then we get to love autumn.  Praise God for his incredible goodness!

Peace,

Pastor Braxton ><>