It's a bittersweet kind of day.

 

How is it that there is always just a little bit of bitter in some things that have been so sweet?

 

It is officially Fall, and for me, that is bittersweet.  I prefer the Spring and Summer, with shoots piercing the soil, and buds and bugs appearing.....bouquets of flowers and kids frolicking in the grass.  Sure it gets hot, it gets rainy, it gets muddy...but we enjoy it all the same.  We have enjoyed being more aware of the growing season this year, since we have worked on an organic farm once a week for the past several months.  We are tired, we are weary, but we are well fed and blessed. 

 

 But all good things change.....and come to an end.  Seasons change. It's almost time for the harvest to end.  And we won't be traveling anymore to the new familiarity of the packing shed, washing freshly picked vegetables, sending them to market.....taking some home to eat. Life here will return to normal, whatever that is.

 

We have been spoiled and blessed in a bittersweet way.  I literally get to feeling "puny" when I eat conventional produce.  My body is getting used to the natural food.  Wow, I must be getting some health in these old cells.  But what will happen this winter?  We were able to put a little food by, but we will still be at the mercy of the local grocery far more than will be good for us. 

 

So back to the bittersweet parts......bitter because the cold is coming on.  Sweet because we can sit by a warm fire and read good books.  Bitter because the leaves and flowers will all be gone and what is left will be brown from now on.....sweet because for a little while longer the leaves will be ablaze with color.  Bitter because the fresh fruits and vegetables will be all grown, picked and eaten......sweet, because they were so good, and yes, we were able to save a little by canning and freezing.

 

Life is like this sometimes.  Sometimes the best things don't last very long.  We have to snatch them and enjoy them at their prime....like good organic vegetables.  Manna from heaven; it doesn't keep until tomorrow, but comes fresh every day.  So what about in winter?  Will our manna still arrive?  Surely our little freezer bounty will run out quickly.  No, wait....it's not about us.  God will provide daily for our needs.  (Sweet)  We need to stop thinking it's what WE do.  (bitter)  It's about Him.

 

God made the seasons ebb and flow, plants and flowers to grow, bloom, produce fruit and then die back, there is also a cycle of trusting and failing to trust.  There is a cycle to how we homeschool, and parent our children.  Just because things don't seem to be working out well (bitter) we must remember that all things work for good.  (sweet.) Our kids are going to grow up and changed no matter what we do, but it's not all bitter or all sweet. We have to do our best during this fleeting time, and trust God with them.  After all, they are His.  He will show you what to do with them!

 

 If we acknowledge God's control of all things, (sweet) then we won't trust in the counterfeit manna.  (bitter.)  Real manna only comes once a day, and is used up and gone.  If we try to hang on to yesterday's manna, it rots.  If we try to hang onto yesterday's revelation, it rots too.  You need a fresh word from God today, fresh manna.  Bittersweet?  Maybe it's bittersweet because we try to hang on to what He taught us yesterday, and we need a new lesson today!

 

He has one for us!  Don't wait around for it, don't rely on yesterday's revelation, or today's counterfeit manna...... there is something sweet waiting for you! 

 

 Read God's Word.

 

 

 

 

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