Bucket of Apples

~ Barbara ~ 2 Comments

Bucket 3/4

Autumn officially arrives this Saturday—my favorite season! In our family, fall meant making applesauce, which did not necessarily include apple picking—I usually bought a bushel of “drops” from a local farm. While they simmered in my Dutch oven on the stove, I set out my grandmother’s old apple mill, and lined up our plastic containers.

When grandchildren came along I soon learned I didn’t need as many containers for the freezer—their taste testing of the warm sweetness greatly diminished our production volume. Nothing says fall to me as much as apples. But this favorite season includes many more delights.

  • I love the colors of fall. Who is not drawn to gas-guzzling rides through the country to ooh and aah at changing leaves that glamorize the landscape?
  • I thrill to see orange pumpkins sitting on porches, some with grinning faces and a flickering candle within. Then there are roasted pumpkin seeds, pumpkin pies, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin anything (except coffee).
  • I think God had fun creating gourds with their varied colors, odd shapes, stripes and bumps.
  • I love the need for a sweater or hoodie, an added blanket on the bed, and the return of cozy slippers.
  • I love apple cider, apple pie, and caramel apples on a stick.
  • I love to watch the leaves fall and twirl, dancing around me, and to hear them swish when I shuffle through their carpet.
  • I love yellow and rust-colored mums and curly leafed purple cabbages.
  • I love the memory of raking leaves to the edge of our property and burning them in the road. My nostalgia can still evoke the wonderful woodsy fragrance and savor the quiet absence of leaf blowers.

What do you love about fall?

Bucket of Bolts

~ Barbara ~ 2 Comments

My husband sketched this picture in high school. Lately, I wonder if it was a prophetic portrait of his wife-to-be because I’m feeling like a bucket of bolts—rustier, slower, and dented. I have an appointment this week for what may be a frozen shoulder, one next week for eye surgery, and last night I bit an almond and broke my tooth!

I thought of Rich’s high school art project and recalled the many challenges we had to keep our cars on the road. In a few days, we’ll have a recent dent repaired—cosmetic, easy. But we have a history of failed batteries, faulty wiring, flat tires, and the worst—dead transmissions. My aging body relates.

What if we brought our car back to the manufacturer and was told it was worn out, but we can have a new model with all the bells and whistles—solar powered, heated seats and steering wheel, state-of-the-art GPS system, back up warnings, 12-way power seats, tinted sunroof, stereophonic music, luxury leather interior, a scratch resistant exterior, and the smoothest ride you can imagine, all with an unlimited, lifetime warranty. Oh, and it’s free.

That’s the very offer the Holy Spirit dropped into my heart. I’ve seen a lot of miles and my body is reflecting its years. Of course it is—it has a built in expiration date known only to its Maker. But I know what’s ahead! A brand-new model “with all the bells and whistles.” Strength that doesn’t lag, agility that scales mountains, eyes that see clear and far, ears that overhear angels whisper without needing to ask, “What did they say?” Insights that are clear and don’t fade, understanding that grasps marvels, the ability to perceive intricate details, intellect that amazes, and reasoning that comprehends thoughts that are currently too wonderful for me.

A life freely given, an eternal existence, forever strong, productively fruitful, awed by new wonders every day—this is my full expectation. In the meantime, I’ll care for my bucket of bolts with an eye to the future as I “Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits” Psalm 103:2 (NKJ).

Why I Don’t Need a Bucket List

~ Barbara ~ 1 Comment

I do admit, it would have been exciting to post pictures from a cruise ship or European castle on last week’s mention of our 55th anniversary. It’s not that I don’t want these adventures—it’s just that I can wait for them. There is no experience now that will not be exceedingly better in my future. So I can wait.

I can wait to scale Mount Everest without laboring breath and throbbing knees. One day I will look into the Grand Canyon without anxiety and walk down its walls of sandstone, limestone, and shale, then climb up the other side, stopping to pet bighorn sheep and elk. I will explore the Great Barrier Reef, all 2,900 reefs and 900 islands, and dive deep to discover the wonders it holds, without tiring—and without gear. I will walk desert sands unhindered by the sun, explore caverns with underground rivers, and climb a sequoia. I will slide down Victoria Falls and ride on the backs of lions and elephants. I will wander through the Swiss Alps and watch the Northern Lights dance across Norway’s sky, counting the stars—perhaps I’ll fly through them!

And if these natural wonders are not on the new earth, it will only be because they’re replaced with vistas even more wonderful! Pictures of the sights I admire today will pale like black and white newsprint on yellowed newspapers. Colors will explode in shades never before seen. Sounds will mesmerize with unmuted clarity. The air will shimmer with its purity.

No, I don’t need a bucket list for my span of years on this planet. Wonders await me for an eternal lifetime of exploration and discovery.

Photo by Donald Giannatti on Unsplash

Happy Anniversary to Us!

~ Barbara ~ 5 Comments

I didn’t prepare a post for today because yesterday Rich and I celebrated our 55th wedding anniversary. It’s been a long time since we drove up the Hudson and we were again impressed by the mountainous, breathtaking beauty of its shoreline. We spent a beautiful, uninterrupted day of gratitude for God’s blessings and loving care over our years together.