hundreds have passed under my faucet
and now
the jars line the shelves in my basement
salsa
whole tomatoes
soup
sicillian gravy (aka spaghetti sauce)
these vines,
planted
cultivated
pruned
teach me life
and john fifteen,
where abide appears eleven times,
comes to mind
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
and this abiding
this staying here
is not as easy as it looks
but the fruit?
amazing
how do you abide? what does that look like, practically?
continuing to count his gifts to 1000 -
713. a surprise text message from half a world away to let me know that my husband is well
714. a first date for a young guy i love a lot
715. tree house plans
716. my girl, the one i mentor, doing so well and looking so gorgeous
717. olympics
718. chocolate frosting
719. french roast coffee
720. two more days off work
linking with -
michelle for hear it monday, use it on sunday, ann for 1000 gifts, l.l. for on, in, and around mondays
joan for sharing his beauty, laura for playdates with god, elaine for miss elaine-ous monday, jen for soli deo gloria shanda for on your heart tuesdays and kat for titus 2 tuesdays
Abiding is a concept that slips through my fingers just when I think I have a grip on it. In tomatoes--another beautiful way to see abiding.
ReplyDeleteFor me, abiding in this moment is holding on to tight to grace, trusting it will be there for me this week as I pack my daughter to move off to college, and trusting grace to be there for me next week in my first week without any kids in the house. A new season of abiding.
What a neat analogy! Stay connected to that vine, wait for God's timing (that's a problem for me!), and the fruit will be harvested in due season, if we don't give up. Needed to hear this today. Thanks for sharing! Michelle
ReplyDeleteAbiding is sometimes so simple for me and other days near impossible. I love to abide in quiet- as the sun rises with my Bible in hand- but my real world reality is five-kids-noisy and ringing phones and screaming voices- and abiding in that looks more like a desperate woman clinging- clinging to His name and His truth and tossing up 2 word prayers all day long. Messy. But by His grace, fruit will grow.
ReplyDeleteLove the connection...When I see "abiding" again, I will think of those healthy, beautiful, green and bright red tomatoes on the vine....abiding...waiting for maturity. Enjoy the fruit of your labor and your abiding in your Lord.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for sharing with us.
first...oh my gravy...when we first moved to the south we would refer to having gravy on our spaghetti...this was meant with strange looks...oh yummy would love to taste your delicious gravy. oh Abiding...yes...I think of resting my head right on God’s heart and let all His love flow from there. I love how you do these little prose...just lovely...blessings~
ReplyDeleteSometimes I know "abiding" by how it feels to "not abide." Does that make any sense??
ReplyDeleteOh yes, the fruit... amazing! We are enjoying the olympics too! :)
ReplyDeleteI have been having tomatoes for breakfast, lunch and dinner! And now? The secret meaning revealed? Meals will never be the same.
ReplyDeletenice post thanks for sharing i found you thrue other followers looking for to visit more blessings across the miles
ReplyDeleteHopped over from Ann's place. I love what you wrote about John 15...I need to contemplate this. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteMary
http://memyselfandmercy.blogspot.com/
Abiding to me looks like law and grace. Obeying principles and receiving grace when I stumble.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to taste your tomatoey goodness.
For me abiding happens when I stay in constant contact with God. The life transforming one sentence prayers I've been blogging on Tuesdays have been a big part of that journey for me. I hear His heart when I breathe our prayers to Him.
ReplyDeleteAnd when tomatoes drop from the vine, they fall apart, rot.
ReplyDeleteI never heard of sicilian gravy. :)
For me it's staying connected through His Word and time in stillness where I can sense his leading and his voice better.
ReplyDeleteI have had such struggles in the garden. But each year I become a better gardener. I've been learning what actions yield a good crop. I've also learned that the garden needs tending everyday, sometimes more than once a day. This post has wonderfully reminded me that our relationship with God needs that same diligent attention! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteBeauty. Thanks for your poetry - and the reminder to abide.
ReplyDelete