One of our favorite fall traditions in our home is putting away fruit for the cold winters ahead. Now I am not a canning type of person, and don't know very much at all about preserving fruit or vegetables. Yet, many years ago, we got into the habit of putting peaches and apples up for the winter and we have such great pies and crisps and fruit to have with our homemade soups in the winter because of our fall effort! I even think that food that you have lovingly prepared yourself for special occasions tastes even better because of the pleasure you get out of producing it yourself. This year, we bought a couple of boxes of wonderful peaches from our farmer's market. Later next week, we will make a trip to the Apple Farm and pick a couple of boxes of apples to make into applesauce. Yesterday, Sarah, Joy and I each sat on the den floor on a beach towel. We each had our own box of peaches to work from and a bowl to put our peeled and sliced peaches into! We almost always watched either a tales of Avonlea or Anne of Avonlea or Anne of Green Gables--though we have seen it a thousand times, we always do it in the fall. We peeled for a couple of hours and then bagged up the peaches in zip lock baggies. I also made a peach pie for dinner, served with ice cream--that was our whole dinner.
The reward of our labor was to sit with our piled high bowls of hot peaches and cream with a steaming mug of tea. We have been sitting on our porch at nights with our plates in hand for dinner just to enjoy what is probably to be the last of the golden autumn fall evenings. In Colorado, we know that snow is surely coming soon, so we want to squeeze out every lst bit of pleasure.
Do you remember the childhood song “I’m a Little Tea Pot”?
I'm a little tea-pot, short and stout. Here's my handle. Here's my spout. When I get all steamed up, hear me shout. Just tip me over and pour me out.”
Remember how much fun it was to hold one arm out straight and the other on you hip and pretend to pour yourself out? As moms we tend to “pour” ourselves out day-in and day-out. Every single season of a mom’s life is personally and relationally taxing. Being a godly mother demands our emotional energy, our spiritual wisdom and walk with the Lord, our brains, and our time and resource as we focus on investing love, encouragement, and wisdom into our children’s souls. Because the nature of motherhood is to always give out, her mind, soul, and body are always expending resources. It is so important to take time to be in God’s presence in quietness every day so we can refuel from the one source of true light. Focusing on the beauty and joy of God all around me has been what has kept me going through all of these wondrous and often bumpy years of motherhood. Take time to refocus your heart. Take time to sit in your favorite chair after a crazy day, with a perfectly brewed cup of tea, a lit candle and soft music playing. Take time to soak up the beauty around you. (The Mom Walk)
***Bread and water can so easily be turned into a piece of toast and tea!***
