Scripture

Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.

~Psalm 126:6, NIV

Quote

“How beautiful is the rain! After the dust and heat, in the broad and fiery street and in the narrow lane; how beautiful is the rain!”

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I believe Psalm 126 is about the return of the Jewish exiles to the Holy Land. Israel is a rugged country with an arid climate. It doesn’t usually get real cold there and the seasons are centered around the rain. They have a dry season. The returning exiles depended upon agriculture for their livelihood; it was an agrarian culture. The seed they sowed was their bread. The wheat and barley they sowed as seeds could be crushed and made into bread, but by faith, they sowed their supper or dinner and then they prayed for rain. We don’t appreciate rain like they did. The LORD said to the Jewish people in Ezekiel 34:26-27, I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing. The trees will yield their fruit and the ground will yield its crops; the people will be secure in their land. I do have sympathy on the folks in Frankfurt, Kentucky who are suffering from too much rain, but we have to remember that rain is life. Without rain, we all die. Without rain, the ancient Israelites would have starved. That is why they sowed in tears and reaped with joy. It was their life at stake.

I like to garden. I have four rows of corn up right now. We have a heavy dew {4:00 am} and there can still be frost. I have everything covered except the corn.  I love to plant and watch things grow. I catch rain water in the winter. I have four raised beds and plan to expand. BUT I do it as a hobby. I love to work in the garden. I hated it as a child and I love it now. There is a second BUT, if my garden fails, which it does a lot, June can always run to Ma Krogers. Most of the food we eat was raised by farmers else where and we get it via Ma Krogers. Thank God for the farmers and for Ma Krogers, BUT the returning exiles did not have a Ma Krogers and if their crops failed; they starved.

Rain was a beautiful thing to them and it is beautiful to me. I came to my office in the rain the other day and I think it rained all morning. Hearing the rain hit my metal roof was music from heaven to me.

Extra

Visitation for Mike Garnetts family is Friday night and the COLS is Saturday at 1:00. I forgot to get the location. It was 34* when I came to the office: pretty nippy! I hope this will do it till fall.

LORD willing I will be visiting retirement homes today. Have a great day and thanks for reading the blog.