Harvest In The Storm

I’d been watching Mr. Hyman plant his sweet potatoes and harvest them over the past few month as I’d pull out of my parents driveway to head home.

There’s a hurricane passing our way this weekend.  We haven’t gotten a bad storm like this in a long time in this small town.  Our first cold front of fall is blowing in.  It was chilly and starting to mist the other night.  Everything at my parents’ farm was secure and animals tucked in tight for the storm.  We went to get our bellies full on BBQ and biscuits at a local restaurant.

We were all so tired from crazy schedules and getting ready for Hurricane Matthew this week.  As we were passing by Mr. Hyman’s field, we looked over and saw his tractor shedding lights on him and his wife trying to cover the large wooden boxes of potatoes in preparation for the storm.  The wind was blowing the tarps and light was streaming in the dark from his wife’s flashlight so he could secure them to shelter the sweet potatoes.  Love their hearts.

My dad turned that Chevrolet in before I knew it.  All five of us hopped out ready to lend our hands.  The men had the tarps covering the sweet potatoes in 30 minutes.  Mr. Hyman was so grateful.  I noticed his tired eyes and worn hands from the farming.  I was grateful too.  Thankful for people like him.  Homegrown, farming the land, providing for America in the dark, wind, and rain.

Got me thinking.  I swear my mind never stops.

Mr. Hyman sheltering his prized sweet potatoes is how we should treat ourselves.  When we’re going through storms, trials, temptations and the wind is raging, the rain is coming down, and we can’t see through the darkness in life, we need to guard our hearts.  Don’t let the storms of life destroy you and make you bitter, depressed, and drowning in your own sorrow.  I’ve got good news, friend.  Storms pass.  And when the storm passes, there is always sunshine.  Some storms will be bigger than others.  Heck, you may even get a hurricane occasionally.  Will they leave damage and scarring?  Sure.  Just make sure to pick up the pieces of your heart after and let the Ultimate Healer put you back together.  God’s gonna take care of you, you little sweet potato, you.  There will be brighter days and helping hands along the way.  You’re never alone because God’s always holding you in His worn, scarred hands and there’s always, always people helping people.

Loving God and loving people,

Fallon

“They do not say in their hearts, ‘Let us fear the Lord our God, who gives the rain in its season, the autumn rain and the spring rain, and keeps for us the weeks appointed for the harvest.'” {Jeremiah 5:24}