Focus on This Moment

I was reading Numbers 16, and came across another verse that really struck me. Korah was angry with Moses, and said, "thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards."

It struck me that Korah was angry over something that was his own fault (his and the other Israelites). God had brought them to the edge of the land, and they refused to go in.

And it struck me that Korah was angry too early. The Israelites were brought into a land of milk and honey. The Lord kept his word.

But Korah did not see it.

Good reminder to me: stay the course.

I liked the verse in chapter 19 that said, "bring thee a red heifer without spot," because I know what red heifers look like. Maybe they were Devons. (Though not named such, since Devonshire was not yet founded.)

And to round out the wonderful Numbers observations: God told the Israelites to kill the first of all cows, sheep, and goats as a sacrifice, but the meat was for them. Interesting that, should the meat be not terribly good-tasting, at least the line would end then, and the mother wouldn't be bred repeatedly. I suspect bad-tasting meat was rare in Israel.

Melanie suggested that I report on what has worked well in my garden, and not just report on the failures. I am happy to say that we have okra almost every day, despite planting only a small patch, about 2' x 2'. I planted a transplanted Sungold cherry tomato, and since i have been more faithful watering, I get 20 to 50 small tomatoes every day. They usually don't make it out of the garden (heh heh heh), but I have been well-fed.

Other than that: the corn grew tall, but did not fill out in the husks. More water next time. I have pulled quite a few onions, and I like them. I think, though, that I did not make the bed deep enough, as the onions are half-exposed. Now I know: deeper beds.

Gardening is more challenging than I expected.

We had two inches of rain fall in the night. It sounded like a flood, and Phil and I did not sleep well. Rain is a good sound, but I kept thinking of the tent of tools down in the flood plain. What if the chainsaw washed away?

No flood. Chainsaw still usable. All is well.

Phil continues to clear a path for our fence. He cut down a tree in his path last week, and only later realized that it had fruit on it: a pawpaw! Too bad, but there's nothing to do about it now.

As children head back to school, and students head off to college, I've been reflecting on the swift passage of time. I hugged Jadon yesterday and wailed, "You're almost ready for college! You will leave me, which is good, but I will be so sad!"

He shrugged me off and reprimanded: "Focus on this moment!"

Wise beyond his years, and oh, did I laugh!