The Bible tells us that, after having raised his family, built an ark, gathered the world’s animals, and survived the flood, Noah settled down in his old age and planted himself a vineyard. In like fashion, I have now been busy in my semi-retirement doing what I was always too busy, yet always longing, to do: tilling the soil.
Now, to be clear, I have no intentions of either going into the wine-making business or getting plastered with the fruits of my labor, as did Noah. But I have now planted myself some muscadine and scuppernong vines. In my childhood, the former grew wild all along the dirt road on which we lived. And my uncle Roy had a grape arbor absolutely loaded with the latter up at his house. Needless to say, I loved visiting him when they were in season.
I have also now planted an orchard with just about every variety of fruit that will grow in agricultural zone seven, in which my wife and I live. These include several varieties of apples, peaches, plums, nectarines, apricots, kiwis, cherries, quinces, crabapples, figs, and pomegranates. When June rolls around, I hope to add some blackberry vines to the lot as well.
Thanks to the efforts of my grandparents (both paternal and maternal), along with those of my various uncles and aunts, at one time or another, I crossed paths with most of these fruit species in my childhood. These days, my theory is that I owe it to my seven grandsons to give them the same memories. After all, eating one’s belly full of apples to the point of nausea as a child is a rite of passage – one I went through and one I intend to see them go through as well!
For this reason, it was a particular joy for me to be assisted by several of my grandsons as I planted the last of these trees this very evening.* Should the Lord tarry His coming, and assuming everything unfolds according to the usual pattern of nature, there will surely come a day when I will be in Heaven and my grandsons will literally be enjoying the fruits of my labor. When it does, the mere knowledge of this fact will very likely only add to my eternal joy!
Besides, when that day comes, I will be consuming fruit of another kind. As the New Testament Book of Revelation tells us (in chapter 22, verses 1-2):
“Then the angel showed me a river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the main street of the city. On either side of the river stood a tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit and yielding a fresh crop for each month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.”
In short, while my grandsons are enjoying the fruits of my labor here on earth, I plan to be enjoying the fruits of Christ’s labor up in Heaven! In due time, of course, I trust they will join me. And I trust the same for you.
*NOTE: Getting my orchard planted has taken quite some time. But at least I have finally met my goals. See my earlier blog posts titled “ALL IN ONE” dated 10/11/2021 and “BEARING FRUIT” dated 03/03/2022.
SCRIPTURES:
https://biblehub.com/bsb/genesis/9.htm;
https://biblehub.com/bsb/revelation/22.htm.
Now, to be clear, I have no intentions of either going into the wine-making business or getting plastered with the fruits of my labor, as did Noah. But I have now planted myself some muscadine and scuppernong vines. In my childhood, the former grew wild all along the dirt road on which we lived. And my uncle Roy had a grape arbor absolutely loaded with the latter up at his house. Needless to say, I loved visiting him when they were in season.
I have also now planted an orchard with just about every variety of fruit that will grow in agricultural zone seven, in which my wife and I live. These include several varieties of apples, peaches, plums, nectarines, apricots, kiwis, cherries, quinces, crabapples, figs, and pomegranates. When June rolls around, I hope to add some blackberry vines to the lot as well.
Thanks to the efforts of my grandparents (both paternal and maternal), along with those of my various uncles and aunts, at one time or another, I crossed paths with most of these fruit species in my childhood. These days, my theory is that I owe it to my seven grandsons to give them the same memories. After all, eating one’s belly full of apples to the point of nausea as a child is a rite of passage – one I went through and one I intend to see them go through as well!
For this reason, it was a particular joy for me to be assisted by several of my grandsons as I planted the last of these trees this very evening.* Should the Lord tarry His coming, and assuming everything unfolds according to the usual pattern of nature, there will surely come a day when I will be in Heaven and my grandsons will literally be enjoying the fruits of my labor. When it does, the mere knowledge of this fact will very likely only add to my eternal joy!
Besides, when that day comes, I will be consuming fruit of another kind. As the New Testament Book of Revelation tells us (in chapter 22, verses 1-2):
“Then the angel showed me a river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the main street of the city. On either side of the river stood a tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit and yielding a fresh crop for each month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.”
In short, while my grandsons are enjoying the fruits of my labor here on earth, I plan to be enjoying the fruits of Christ’s labor up in Heaven! In due time, of course, I trust they will join me. And I trust the same for you.
*NOTE: Getting my orchard planted has taken quite some time. But at least I have finally met my goals. See my earlier blog posts titled “ALL IN ONE” dated 10/11/2021 and “BEARING FRUIT” dated 03/03/2022.
SCRIPTURES:
https://biblehub.com/bsb/genesis/9.htm;
https://biblehub.com/bsb/revelation/22.htm.