Blessings from God

God Will Give Us a Push When We Need It

/ Bill Jones / Leave a comment
A Sandy Dirt Road

A Sandy Dirt Road – Hard to Push a Car Down One

My cousin, Lewis, kept yelling, “Push! Push!” He was in the driver’s seat, hollering back at me, as I strained to push his 56 Chevy down the small hill on the sandy road beside my house. With a dead battery that could no longer crank the car (and no funds to replace it) we had to work with alternate means. That’s when a manual transmission (and much younger legs) came in handy.

The sand was loose and deep, so progress was slow. After a few yards, Lewis thought we had reached “critical speed” and he popped the clutch. The result was an instant stop as the tires sank in the sand.

Several groans and a discussion of sorts came about as we prepared for another attempt. He waited longer and the car gained higher momentum on this run and, sure enough, he popped the clutch and there was the “stop/lurch” as the clutch engaged and the engine fired up.

I ran to the open passenger door, hopped in and slammed the door as he pulled away. We were off on another adventure, excited with the thought that we could end up anywhere… as long as we could find a hill (preferably paved) to park on when we arrived.

I will add that our adventures weren’t usually spine-tingling or heart-stopping, just normal stuff. I’ll write about a few at times (and some I won’t.)

That sounds like life in general. Normal stuff with a little spine-tingling thrown in now and then. But at times, even the normal stuff seems to get stuck in the sand, with a dead battery refusing to get us started. That’s when we should look to the Lord and His Word to give us a push.

“For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 NKJV

That is a promise from the Lord to be there to give us help anytime we need it. Think of it that He has parked us on a paved hill and He is ready to push when the next adventure begins.

Winter – Time to Flex our Faith Muscles

/ Bill Jones / 2 Comments
Pecan Orchard in Winter

Pecan Orchard in Winter

Here’s a lifeless orchard of pecan trees a few miles from our house. You can tell it’s lifeless because there are no outward appearances of life. There are a few husks from the nuts that are still on the tree but very little fruit is there.

Perhaps, though, it’s not dead but could just be hibernating. Everything has shut down and nothing’s happening. Nothing is outwardly apparent.

But, we know, that there is a lot happening out of our sight. The roots are growing and flexing their muscles – spreading into new areas and strengthening their grip on the earth. They’re getting ready for the right time – when it’s time for them to help push out the sprouting leaves and start the fruit of the next season.

We, too, can have seasons that appear lifeless, when there’s not much happening outwardly. We could spend time in hibernation and shut down. But, even in those quiet, seemingly slow times, we need to be strengthening our roots – by prayer and meditation, by study in God’s Word – flexing our faith muscles and getting ready for the next opportunity that God will give us to serve Him.

“Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.” Romans 12:11 ESV

Peach Tree Pruning and Cat Composting

/ Bill Jones / Leave a comment
Peach Tree Pruning and Cat on Composter

Peach Tree Pruning and Cat on Composter

I had to prune the peach tree a week ago. We had a few days of cold weather but several warm days had it ready to bloom. I realize that may do it for this next season but it was too out of hand to let it keep growing. We had no peaches last year when the tree bloomed way early and got zapped by later cold snaps. But the pruning was necessary, both for the health of the tree and the fruit production. Much like the pruning God does with us.

The cat on the composter was just an extra – interesting place to decide to sit in the warm sun.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:1-5 ESV