The Eye of the Beholder

Can you find out the deep things of God? . . . Its measure is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.
                 Job 11:7,9

It didn’t seem like much.  Of the few growing seasons I have under my belt, this one produced the least.  Many of my tomatoes suffered from blight, and the plants that did live produced fruit that barely grew larger than a golf ball.  My experiment with strawberries was interesting, but those that offered up fruit usually did so one at a time.  My yummy smelling mint died while was on a short out-of-town trip.  And though my basil remained healthy, I never found the time to make the longed for pesto that I had been planning all season.  We finally used the Parmesan for something else.

I was grumbling at my bad luck when I pulled some of my produce together for a visit to family.  I picked my small tomatoes; three kinds – Black from Tula, Brandywine and Sun Gold.  I included malabar spinach, some banana peppers and a handful of herbs – mint, rosemary, stevia and oregano.  As I was tallying up this harvest to my husband, I realized it wasn’t so meager after all.

It is funny how our perspective can shift.  Our lot can seem lavish or pitiful depending on our vision.  The difference lies in our expectations and our capacity for gratitude.  We live in a world of high expectation and low satisfaction.  Although most of us are aware of this reality, we persist – heaven help us – as if no other way were possible.  When we choose to acknowledge ourselves blessed, however, we can see the blessings all the more clearly.  It is only in our failure to notice our riches that we experience poverty.

I am grateful for this growing season, however it may have differed from my expectations.  My garden yielded enough to make it worth the time given to it.  I enjoyed the pleasure of tending these small, growing and living things.  Best of all, I was reminded of the One who gives us life in abundance!

Blessed eating!

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Corn Salad

1 can Mexicorn – drained             1 can shoe-peg corn

1 can whole kernel corn                green onions chopped

Tomatoes chopped

Mix with mayonnaise to taste.  Child, then serve. – Hazel Trawick

Note:  I threw in some banana peppers in because they had grown in abundance.  They were great!