So much has happened since the last time I sat down to write "thoughts". Lots of travel was involved for us and others as we journeyed to Lincoln Nebraska from both the west and the east. Our journeys were to take us to a reunion! It was a very special reunion for us as it was the first time that our whole family--our children, our sons with their wives and children--could all get together! We had a wonderful time playing and talking and eating and worshiping together. We played games, we went to museums, we had special meals together, we took pictures of our family groups and the whole bunch of us. We created memories together. We hugged and I shed some tears. We saw everyone give generously to make our reunion happen. I am so thankful that I saw love demonstrated every single moment. And we all got to meet and love on the newest little one in our family. He did not lack for attention! We had a whole week of time with our "children" and wanted so much more. I did not want the week to end. I couldn't help but wonder if it could ever happen again---until heaven.
God wants time with His children. God traveled to be with His children long ago. Soon He will travel to be with His children again. He wants to have a reunion, a grand reunion. He wants time with us--forever! I am longing for time to spend with Him--it will be such a wonderful Reunion! I am so looking forward to talking with Him and others of my family and my extended Christian family. I want to be with everyone for a long forever time of talking and eating wonderful feasts, maybe playing together, traveling to wonderful places together and worshiping with our Father, the head of our family reunion. I am going to have a wonderful time in heaven and there will never have to be goodbyes!
But the wonderful week did end and we came home tired, happy, and not quite ready to start again the duties left behind. One of our duties had been covered for us and for that we were extremely grateful. We crossed lawn mowing off our list of to do items. Sweeping and vacuuming had happened seemingly magically too! Somebody loves us! So we had no excuse that would keep us from "looking" at the garden. Isn't it funny how when you go on vacation, the weeds do not go on vacation! They just keep on with their business of being weeds and growing--every day! And we have had to pay catch-up with those weeds. I have what some would consider not proper weeding methods but they suit me! Anyway, I like to sit sometimes to do my weeding. It saves my back and gets me closer to the weeds and I can sort my weeds. Yes, I sort my weeds! There are good weeds and bad weeds. I like to save the good weeds. Some are ground cherry plants to be transplanted. Some are red roots--I don't care so much for them. There is a weed that we have learned is called Hairy Galinsoga and I consider it a bad weed--good for nothing but causing me extra work which I do not need. There is purslane--not so good, not too bad. It is just a nuisance. Then there is the lamb's quarter weed. That one I like if I can find it when it is quite small. To me, it is free food/vitamins
and I don't have to work hard to make it grow! It is free and I can use it for spinach. But I have to search for it in with the other weeds that I do not want to eat--especially that Galinsoga weed! And several other plants that I can really do without. All those weeds kind of remind me of all the different kinds of people in this world. Some are good, some are bad, some are just so so with good and bad things exhibited. God loves all people but the day will come when he sorts His "weeds". The good ones He will keep to enjoy. The bad ones will be cast aside--worth nothing then. But until that day, all get a chance to prove their good traits are worth saving. One of the bad weeds that grows in my raspberry patch is Nettles--the Stinging ones. I am one of the lucky people that if I touch them, then I get to experience them again and again for several days--not so much fun! The nettle people in this world will need to be pulled up and rooted out so that they don't spread and take over God's garden of beautiful things.
There were several things with legs that came to visit me in the garden. Two different cats came to love me. One climbed up and tried to sit on my shoulders and head but bending over gave the kitty a very unstable perch and she eventually left. Another wanted to have lap time but getting up to move my chair and leaning forward did not suit that kitty either. Both left me to work alone. Sometimes God calls us to work for him and it will seem lonely at times. The work still has to be done to accomplish HIs purposes. I was visited by flies! They were not welcome! I made a trip to the house for the bug repellant to try to keep them away. They definitely bothered me! And the tasting/biting----Ouch! I couldn't help but contrast them to another insect. This insect was much friendlier. In fact I definitely enjoyed the visit of the hackberry butterfly. It is just a small brown/gray with spots butterfly but as it landed on me, I could see it up close and really enjoyed having it on me and looking at how pretty it really was. It too was tasting me but stopped with tasting! No biting! I think it was probably tasting the salt that was on my skin from the work during daytime heat. Such a friendly little creature. It was tasting and seeing that I was good.
I took a shortcut and google searched for the taste and see Bible verse. And found this--Psalm 34 outlines examples of God’s incredible goodness to those who take refuge in Him: He takes care of their every need (verses 8–10); He provides them with a good, long life (verses 11–15); He is with them through troubles and saves them from their enemies (verses 17–22). Those who taste and see that the Lord is good will know His provision. To taste involves testing or sampling; to see involves understanding or perceiving. The phrase taste and see, then, means “try and experience.” David urges God’s people to discover the goodness of the Lord by personal trial and experience it for themselves. He doesn’t want readers to merely take his word for it that the Lord is good; he wants them to actively experience and know for themselves the fact that God is good. When David says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good,” he is calling us to figuratively take a bite—to try for ourselves by our own experience—and find out exactly how satisfyingly good God is. Then Peter applies the same language in 1 Peter 2:3 when he says, “You have tasted that the Lord is good.” Tasting must happen before seeing; that is, our spiritual experiences bring us to spiritual enlightenment and understanding. David desires others to “taste and see.” He wants them to experience what he has experienced so that they can know what he has come to know, the soul-sustaining goodness of the Lord.
I have favorite things that I like to taste. You probably do too! What is on your list of favorite tasty things? Maybe it is a roast beef sandwich, maybe it is fudge swirl ice cream, maybe it is a juicy grape or peach or a crisp apple, maybe it is a veggie dog. One of my favorite things is a Lindt ball! Its melting deliciousness is just so wonderful! But I want to top the list with tasting the goodness of God and see/experience the love He gives me as part of His family.