SEPTEMBER IN THE GARDEN AND VARIOUS THOUGHTS

The last two days have been completely consumed with work! After a day of work yesterday, Rhiannon and I went grocery shopping to restock the house after vacation. On our way home we visited the corn patch and picked 3 clothes baskets full of more corn to freeze since it's on it's way out. It was getting late and we had to hurry. We didn't husk it in the field. This morning she helped husk some before she had to go to work and then I got stuck all alone doing corn for the whole day! What a lot of work! I did manage to get a load of clothes on the line and supper in the crock pot between husking, washing, boiling, cooling, cutting corn, and cleaning up the kitchen! Then end result was 22 quarts of lovely corn to put in the freezer for winter. Our freezer is currently so full, I honestly don't know where I'd fit another item! This is something to be thankful for!

I hope to get a chance to write some more thoughts about courtship tomorrow. I do want to say that I know of courtships that have "gone wrong." I was pondering that today as I was working. I was thinking about what all I wanted to write next about the subject and that's certainly something to be considered. I know of situations where the courtship didn't end in marriage, but was broken off in the early stages. But isn't that much better than what most folks experience--dating several people and experiencing break-ups and all the resulting emotional baggage on a regular basis? I think in the cases I'm referring to, there were some hurts to get over, some scars to heal, but certainly not to the extent of what failed dating relationships leave. After all the years in the pastorate, I also know of situations where dating relationships fell apart leaving tremendous scars. I've talked to young people who were grieving over heartaches.

On that subject, my next book, the sequel to "The Fields of May,"--the title is not set in stone yet or I'd tell you!--is a book that deals with what might happen if a courtship "goes sour." I am anxious for the release of this book because it follows some of the characters from the first book and instead of everything working out just as planned, there are alot of setbacks that occur before the characters get their lives in order. I hope it will give readers a desire to look very carefully and seriously at their relationships before entering into them as well as encourage those who have made wrong turns with the hope that God is all about redemption!

Just a little side note on another subject--yesterday I believe I was given what might be called a "divine appointment." It made my day. I had called a lady about a business matter and as we talked I sensed her discouragement and disappointment with several things she was going through. She had concerns that mirrored some that I deal with myself. Listening to her was like hearing a recording of myself at my lowest times. I told her I'd like to pray with her before we hung up and she seemed so appreciative. I pondered that call quite a while yesterday. She is a believer, but I think she needed someone to minster to her. I often want to do "big things" for the Lord and probably fail by missing opportunities like that one yesterday. Someone emailed me yesterday morning with specific encouragements that made my day much lighter. What if all of us as Christians were to take our days very seriously, looking for the small things--divine appointments--where we are to minister in quiet ways? Over time all these small moments would add up to alot of ministry! I thank God that I was able to recognize that a prayer was needed at that moment. I think I was more aware because someone had ministered to me through an encouraging email in the morning. When I write these articles on my blog, I am trying in a small way to be an encouragement to those who read them. I don't have a big platform, but want to do what I can for the Lord!

What's new in the garden? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Oh, maybe the zinnia finally bloomed. But other than that, it's looking very Septemer-ish. By that I mean there's a tired, dry sort of look to everything as flowers make a last feeble attempt to bloom before winter sets in. Some vegetables are still being harvested and my red raspberries are making a noble showing, but that's all! Blessings, LORI

Pictures of the Great Corn Freezing Process!

Here's a few pictures of yesterday's project! This is only a small fraction of the total amount of corn I picked! I backed the truck up to the back deck and carried the corn into the kitchen and did the messy cutting on the deck!

This next picture is just a shot of some of the ears after right before I boiled them. The corn was absolutely wonderful this year! I was so thankful for being able to get some to freeze. I used to can some as well, but haven't for the last few years. Seems like the freezing is all I can get done. We have some folks in the family that prefer it canned and some prefer it frozen!

The time consuming boiling process. We had three water pots going at once to speed up the process.

Now here's a good way to dispose of all those cobs once the corn is cut. Our tractor has been one of the best investments we've ever made. I can't imagine how we'd do country life without it! When I was done cutting the cobs at the nearby table I just tossed them into the bucket of the tractor and Clint dumped them in the fencerows. I suppose some little animal will enjoy the remains. The cobs will eventually rot down and become humus!

Now for the continuing thoughts on courtship....

While I was out driving in the truck yesterday heading for the corn patch, I heard some news reports on a Christian radio station that were alarming to say the least. I was not in a position to get a pencil and take down statistics, but to the best of my remembrance, the reporter was saying that co-habitation in this country has climbed by 1000% in just the last few years. I believe they mentioned that the percentage of babies born to unmarried parents was now 40% in the United States. Figures like these only gave me more incentive for continuing my articles about courtship. Let's face it, it's time for drastic answers to the problems that plague our society. And we, the church should be the salt and light leaders in setting the temperature of society. I fear we are just the opposite, often sporting stats for divorce and the such like that are very close to that of the rest of society.

Jesus gave prophetic insight to John in the Revelation that indicated the spiritual temperatures of the seven churches of Asia Minor. The Laodicean church was lukewarm. It existed, but was not on fire as it should have been. This displeased the Lord. I like to take my spiritual temperature once in a while and see where I'm at. I conjecture that most of the church's spiritual temperature concerning issues of moralitiy is shockingly lukewarm. We accept alot and really don't challenge people to do much better. Things that were unacceptable when I was growing up are now commonplace, even in the church.

Courtship or betrothal is one area where we can change and impact the society for the better. In my opinion, dating sets couples up for divorce. You are expected to date alot of people before marrying, (possibly even having it suggested that you live together to 'try it out')never really intending to settle on a committment to any one in particular and then suddenly at the whim of your heart, you find someone and all is supposed to change in your thinking. It usually works for a while right after marriage and when the infatuation wears off, so does the committment. Oh, that reminds me; one of the statistics mentioned today on the radio was that 18 months is about the average duration for a "living together" outside of marriage relationship. Think of that! Lots of people out there are living together and breaking off these arrangements after only 18 months, probably to go on to another trial arrangement! And no one considers the children that are so often affected by the shiftiness of their parents' lives. Imagine a child never knowing how long a man will be in the home? It's one person for a time, then another. Confusion. We must consider that people get their concepts of God from their experience with their father. If Dad was absent, barring a real, true experience with God's grace, you will see God as absent. If Dad was harsh, you will see God as harsh, and etc., if Dad was abusive, then your concept of God is that He is abusive, and so on.

One thing I was pondering today was the obvious practice of betrothal in the Bible. I do not claim to know all there is to know about how that worked, but from the example of Mary and Joseph, Isaac and Rebekah, and Ruth and Boaz, it was serious business. I suppose opponents of the practice would argue that proponents are dangerously close to a system where arranged marriages begin to occur without the consent of the girl, or even the man in extreme cases. I want to say that that is NOT AT ALL what I am suggesting and I can prove it scripturally. I'm not saying arranged marriages never happened, but we have scriptures to indicate that we do not have to arrange marriages and equate courtship with that practice. In the story of Isaac and Rebekah, Abraham's statements in Genesis 24:8 seem to indicate that Rebekah had a will to choose whether or not she would accept the proposal. Other scriptures in the same chapter seem to indicate that the family had their mind made up that Rebekah should go to be Isaac's bride, but before it finally comes time to leave, she is personally consulted and allowed to answer for herself (Genesis 24:57-58) Now for a New Testament example, check 1 Corinthians 7:39. This scripture, addressed to believers, indicates that the a person can marry "whom she wishes," but only in the Lord! No marrying an unbeliever! This doesn't sound like something that was arranged by a third party with no consent on the bride's part! Lots to think about...Blessings, LORI