by Melissa Meyers
Keep driving until you reach city limits, and admire the rolling fields turned golden that are ripe for gathering. Did you plant a little plot of earth and grow something edible? Or visit your local farmer’s market and admire the labor of love which produces a bountiful harvest of life nourishing food being sold? Consider what it took to produce these crops. The disconnect we have between the food we buy at the grocery store and bring into our homes is a modern day problem. The people, who lived during Biblical times, were intimate with the earth and the labor it took to produce an abundance of food.
Many of Jesus’ parables focus on agricultural references. This was intentional, he spoke into their every day reality. Jesus told the stories of the sower scattering seeds on the different types of soil. He spoke of the tiniest of mustard seeds producing the largest of plants, and the vineyard in need of pruning. The imagery resonated with those around him, in ways that we need to work a little to understand. But, we don’t have to go far to encounter agriculture society. It is alive and well around us in greater Minnesota, and in our congregation.
So the September blog is devoted to the experiences of women that have focused on living connected to the natural world, and some who have metaphorically connected to our harvest theme. Jana Pecinovsky shares her homesteading lifestyle with us. You’ll get to hear all about Sandy Schad and The Bee Shed, and Candace Gommel shares her inspirational story about restoring a barn. You’ll get to read an earth-themed book review, Giants in the Earth, a devotional, testimony, and a rutabaga recipe.
Harvest time also brings “back to school” season and Katie King has gathered hints and life hacks to make your mornings go smoother. So pick up a pumpkin latte, and Jill and I hope you will enjoy this month’s edition. If you have ideas, themes, or a testimony you’d like us to cover, we’d love to hear them.
