Two Strawberries

Greetings Dear Reader

The flower box outside my home is full of strawberry plants. They have been there since I moved here, planted by some previous person who may or may not love the sweet fruit as much as I do. Every spring, with little effort from me they provide me with ripe red moments of delicious satisfaction.

This spring a squirrel, a rabbit, and a skunk have also taken a liking to my strawberries. I have pondered and plotted how to keep them away without harming them or ruining the look of the lovely flowerbed. The other morning I emerged and at the very front of the patch were two large ruby orbs, obviously ripe and ready for eating.

I reach into the patch to pick them and the ensuing ruckus startled me as a large brown rabbit bolt from his hiding place at the back of the bed. In that moment my joy at the fruit before me transformed into irritation at the loss of the fruits most likely eaten by the rabbit. I stomped my foot, shook my fist at the rabbit, and made several unkind comments about his lineage.

I continued to grumble as I picked the two strawberries that had drawn me to the patch. As is my habit, I began to silent offer a prayer of thanks for them, but the prayer stuck in my throat. My joy at the luscious strawberries was gone. Anger still roiled within me. I realized very quickly how selfish and unloving I was being.

I neither toil nor spin for those strawberries. Every one of them is a gift from God. Each moment of succulent pleasure is God providing for me with no effort on my behalf. I paused, apologized to the rabbit for my anger and insults, apologized to God for my anger, and offered a newer and deeper prayer of gratitude for the provision of strawberries at no cost to me.

Hopefully this moment of clarity will continue to remind me just how many things that are truly gifts to us from a loving providential God we take for granted. I can so easily move from gratitude to a sense of entitlement that I must maintain vigilance over my own spirit and expectations. The strawberries that morning were sweeter than I had anticipated, and later that day, a neighbor gave me a whole quart of fresh picked ones. I am pretty sure God was laughing at me.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."