Summertime Harvest

The abundance of fresh local vegetables and fruits is one of my very favorite things about summer!  We try to eat local as much as we can here in the Blakely household.  I've already told you about the Local Roots Co-op we are a part of, which is one way we support and eat local.  We also have a very small garden at our new house containing strawberry, tomato, squash and basil plants.  But since we only moved a couple months ago, we didn't have time to really cultivate a large garden this season.  Our focus was on unpacking and getting the house set.  I hope to plant more this fall, though, and use our harvest in our weekly menu plans.


Another way we are blessed in eating local is when our friends share the bounty of their harvest.  I love watching our church come together during the spring and summer.  Not a week goes by where where there isn't at least one person with a grocery bag full of extra tomatoes, squash, potatoes, etc. to hand out to their friends and family.  Many of these folks also share their harvest with FACES, our local food pantry.  It is a beautiful display of how God calls us to live in community together.

I am reminded of the early church right after Pentecost where we read in the book of Acts how all were caring for one another and making sure each had what was needed.  Acts 2:32-35 says, "Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common.  With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.  There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold.  They laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need."  It is amazing to think what our world would look like if this was how we truly cared for one another.  Of course, we could talk for days about how this could be accomplished or reasons it wouldn't work or all the myriad of issues that go into why people don't live like this.  But, just dream with me for a minute.  Dream with me a world where all of God's creation is cared for...where all of God's creation is reconciled to Christ...where God's kingdom really is here on earth.  Oh what an amazing wonder to behold!

And as I dream and think of the ways I can use the gifts God has given me to help live into this community God has called me to, I will munch on a delicious fresh tomato given to me from a church member, sliced on top of an english muffin with a slice of cheddar cheese broiled on top...complete with a cup of coffee from a local coffee bean roaster.  Living in community sure does taste good! :)