I was talking with my long-time friend Carol about the work of preserving food from our gardens. We both love fresh vegetables, I mean what is better than a vine ripened tomato sandwich?! Each of our husbands have worked hard in their gardens and we certainly want to honor their efforts by preserving as much food as possible.

Yet, you can’t schedule when the harvest is ripe and ready to gather. Once it is picked, it must be canned, frozen, shared, and/or eaten before it spoils. That means we wash green beans, snap, prepare jars and begin the canning process no matter what else we may have on our “schedules”.

Carol and I were discussing the reality of dropping everything WE had planned to do so that we could process the fruits of our husbands’ labor. I must admit that my attitude is somewhat different this year because last year I put up very little from our garden. Between ground hogs, racoons, lack of rain, and travel, our garden suffered. This year the harvest has been plentiful! We have been able to share fresh vegetables with family and friends and I have –

• canned beans
• frozen tomatoes for winter soup
• made tomato sauce
• prepared squash and onions to freeze for cassoroles and soup
• made dill pickles (Phil made bread and butter pickles)
• made raspberry jam (thank you Carol for the lesson)
• frozen blueberries for winter desserts

So our “schedule” goes out the window to do what must be done. Fresh vegetables and fruit don’t wait.

As Carol said – you do what you have to do.

Isn’t this true of all aspects of our lives? We plan with good intentions but “life happens”. Loved ones become ill. Grandchildren need our care. We worship and fellowship. We volunteer and serve others. We attend family events and sport activities. All the while tending to the tasks of everyday life. We plan so we can accommodate all these parts of our lives.

James, the elder disciple and apostle of Jesus wrote in James 4:13-15 –

13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

Our attitude must be one of seeking God’s will and accepting the circumstances and changes in our lives with grace. James is not saying that we shouldn’t plan ahead. He says “we will live and do this or that” yet “If it is the Lord’s will.” Recognizing that all those fresh vegetables are a BLESSING – not just more work.

That requires an adjustment to my attitude. Plan ahead, but see life’s everyday occurrences as opportunities to accept God’s will. Elizabeth Elliot said “In acceptance lays peace.”

Lord, may I recognize that my days – and schedule – are in your hands. Not my will but yours be done.

Amen