How to Eat Honeysuckle

"Thick as thieves", my Momma used to say about me and my older sister.  She'd hold my hand and pray that our journey would be safe, as we walked home from my grandmother's house, just as dusk was setting upon the day. Almost every night, we'd curl up in her bed and talk until our eyes grew heavy and sleep, finally, quieted our mouths.  Often, I would sneak into her closet and barrow her clothes, just so that I could look like her.  She'd get mad, throw me out, only to call me back in five minutes later because she had changed her mind.  With a sweet smile, she would hand me whatever I was wanting.  I sat in the back seat when my grandmother tried to teach her how to drive, holding on for dear life as I was sure she was going to kill us.  A few years later, I wrecked her first truck.  When I was fifteen, I watched her bring life into this world and start her journey as a single mom.  She stood beside me on my wedding day, cried with me when I thought my marriage would fall apart and prayed with me as healing took place.  She taught me how to apply make up and shave my legs.  She taught me how to nurse my children and the best tricks on how to get them potty trained.  She has taught me how your world can be falling apart around you but with Christ, you can always have peace and wear a smile. But there is one thing that trumps all these things and my favorite lesson taught by my big sister, my July:

On a warm spring day, we headed outside as we usually did after school.  Two little toe headed girls, we were, plotting our next adventure.  We ran along our fence, searching for the perfect spot to have our "tea party" but something caught my sister's eye.  "JOY!" she exclaimed, "Come here!"  As usual, when July called, I jumped and ran to where ever she was.  Her long blonde hair blew in the breeze, as she reached for a vine with white and yellow tiny flowers.  Grabbing one off the vine, she looked back over her shoulder at me and smiled, "HONEYSUCKLE!"  Confused, I shrugged at her as if to say, "And?"  "Come here, I'll show you."  She plucked off the bottom of the flower and ever so slowly, began to pull out the middle stem.  A bubble appeared at the bottom of the flower.  "Here, taste it!"  Hesitantly, I stuck out my tongue.  It was the sweetest thing I had ever put in my mouth.  "How did you do that?" I asked.  "Watch, I'll show you again."  Before long, the vine was bare where we stood and our laughter filled the air.  That is the day I learned how to eat honeysuckle.  July has taught me so many things.  Most all of these things have been for a greater purpose or have come with hard life lessons but this, this one thing, was so extremely pure with nothing more than joy to be received or given from it.  It was a beautiful moment in my childhood, one that I will never forget.

"And so it is with God."

A man built a boat, loaded two animals of every kind upon it.  Days later, the earth flooded..the entire earth with not one stitch of dry land to be found.  The man, his family, and all the animals were saved because of the massive boat and able to repopulate the earth once the water recended.

A man was thrown overboard from a boat due to controversary with it's passangers.  A giant fish comes along and swallows the man up.  Three days later, the fish throws him up onto the shore, still alive.

A young boy, never having fought with sword or shield, is placed before a giant to defeat in battle.  With stones and a sling, the boy flings his first stone into the forehead of the giant.  The blow brought the giant to his death.  The young boy was the victor.

A man walked this earth with complete perfection, never committing one sin, performed extravagant amounts of miracles, and claimed to be the son of God.  He was hung on a cross, bringing upon his death then rose back to life three days later.

"And so it is with God."

Most every story writen in the scriptures are fantastical in nature.  The events in black and white, passed down from generation from generation, can be hard to believe yet are taken as truth by many Christians.  They say, "God works in mysterious way." yet I have found that His ways are not mysterious, just, more often than not, fantastical. 

These amazing things, miraculous things, are not just things of the past; things of biblical times.  We hear about things that we just wrap our minds around everyday.  I think about my own life.  I often refer to myself as a freak for I have walked a path that would be fantasy for most people.  I have experienced trial and come out on the other end still in tact when most women do not..."but so it is with God." 

The miracle, the fantasy, the unbelievable only happens when God is involved, whether we give Him credit or not.  He is the one who can save us from drowning waters, give us victory over giants, save us from a din of lions, save our marriages, reunite parent and child after an abduction, bless the work of our hands, bring joy despite our circumstances, and forgive us with a grace that we can not understand. 

The Rain

There was an elderly woman whom I had the pleasure of knowing and with fond memory, I recall her saying on many occasions, "We complain when it rains, and we complain when it doesn't."  Well today, I have found myself complaining that it is, for the third day in a row now, in fact raining and quite frankly, I am over it!!!  I could never be one to inhabit the city of Seattle where it's popularly known for its large amount of rainy days and grey atmosphere.  (I say that...now watch God move me there.)  Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a thunder storm just as much as the next person but typically, they tend to pass within hours and we can get back to enjoying the sun...even if it does bring humidity.  Continual rain, day after day after day can quickly cause me to slip into a form of laziness and just a feeling of "blah".  I'm an active girl, constantly busy and sometimes the rain forces me to stay put, rest, and just remain still.  I'm not always a big fan of that for long periods of time.

So, as I stood on my covered porch, reluctant to step off, away from shelter, to go and escort my daugher home from the bus stop, I did not hesitate to utter another complaint, "Jesus! Really!  Won't you make this rain stop already."  This time, He did not remain quiet.  "My child, do you not think I know best when it comes to what my creation needs.  As the earth soaks up every last drop in preparation for the dry months, likewise your soul should soak up my love.  There will be days when you long for the rain to cool a hot day but the earth will be sustained and still bring forth a harvest.  Take note, dear one.  The earth obeys my commands thus able to bear fruit in the driest of days.  It does so because I supplied it with the means to do so and it drank deep as it was told.  Store up for yourself treasures in heaven and when all around you feels dry and weary, you too will still be able to bear fruit." 

When in preparation for the dry days, may I have the compliancy of Earth and soak up all the love Christ pours out so that when circumstances leave me rung tight and dehydrated, I can sustain on the His thirst quenching love and bear fruit according to His will.  Thank you Jesus for this powerful lesson on a rainy day.