Jul. 21, 2008 - Grandma's Peaches
I confess that I tend to do some of my best thinking while working in the garden. Perhaps it is because it's one of the few places around our house that is quiet enough to hear yourself think. 
Last friday I was trying to get as much weeding done as possible before the weekend, which I knew would be busy. Man, oh man are the weeds prolific this year!! Josh does assure me that they are always this bad--but I don't believe him for a second!! Anyway, as I was pulling up the weeds and the sweat was running off of... everything, I muttered to myself, "Boy I hope everyone appreciates all of this work I'm doing so that we can have good-for-you, yummy stuff to eat." In my heart I know that the children take a lot of my toil for granted--they're kids!! That's when the Lord brought a memory to my mind of when I was barely a teen and the weeks that I would spend at my grandma's house each summer. I remember her bringing home bags and boxes of juicy, ripe, DELICIOUS peaches. Somewhere in my mind, I knew that she picked them herself on property that was family owned and brought them home for us. I figure that she probably planned to can them or something because she got so many. But I ate them and ate them and ate them. I know that I did ask to eat them--but she worked all day and I couldn't help myself to all of that heavenly goodness. I'm ashamed when I think of how many of those peaches I ate. Oh the mess I made, standing over the sink with my face dripping peach juice. And was I thankful for her efforts?? In a sense, yes, but I don't think that I ever really expressed my gratitude in a way that made her feel like I appreciated her hard work. If grandma only knew how I now compare all peaches to those delightful treats of my past...
I make an effort to never garden while I'm angry or upset. I want my time in the garden to be a peaceful one. I want the work that I do to be done with love and caring. I pray that the hands that work the garden bring blessing and health to my family. Grandma must have picked those peaches with love because my memories of it all warm my heart and touch my very soul. THANKS GRANDMA!!!!
By the way, we got two peaches off of our peach tree this year. They were so yummy! I can't wait until next year so that we will hopefully have lots more!!
