After the winter...

After the winter....

"See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. ....."
Song of Songs 2:11-13a

I have been trying to get to a neighbor's home for several days and finally made it the other day...my offering was a couple of fresh tree ripened nectarines...no big deal...but the message to go with them was one I was assigned to bring..."there is fruit after the winter"...

Many of us have needed that message after a "winter" time of life...the cold harsh life events leaving us wondering if there is a reprieve, a spring, a hope, an ending of despair or a ray of sunshine somewhere...even a piece of fruit ...

Her husband has recently passed away after a long period of care...so she is still in the throes of grief, but there is relief as well from the constant care of a person who wasn't really there anymore...he wasn't the man she married so long ago when she was 17...his mind was a stranger in a familiar body...

She is still tired, weary from paperwork, but needing a ray of hope ...spring, harvest after the winter time...a friend to process with, family to care...

Thank YOU that I can be of use in bringing a piece of fruit....a word of encouragement to a weary soul...YOU planned the fruit, and freely gave the message...


Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.
Philemon 1:7

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

(The fruit which I have joyously received through no way on my own...God birthed it on trees that I had planted last fall...a daily reminder of His freely giving of Himself...I cannot create them..I can only water and take care of them,  watching them grow and mature, enjoy when they have ripened...a gift to me and I can freely gift to others) thank YOU...