A Tale of Two Farmers

Note: A short fiction story inspired by a Bible verse I read recently. Enjoy. Please comment if you'd like to.

The sun was just coming up as two farmers (dearest friends and closest neighbors) were enjoying their daily early-morning phone call.

JOHN: Looks like a pretty day.

SAM: Yep. What are you gonna do today?

JOHN: I think I’ll clean out the gutters. Been a long time since I’ve done that. I also need to trim the shrubbery. Gotta keep the wife happy you know. And she has been after me for weeks to get some of this stuff done.

SAM: Changed your mind about planting your sugarcane today?

JOHN: Yeah. I just can’t convince myself to do it today. I’m gonna do some little jobs around here instead. Get them off my mind. Free me up to focus on the planting when I get around to it, probably tomorrow.

SAM: Better do it today; it’s supposed to rain for the next several days.

JOHN: Oh, I doubt it’ll rain. That weatherman is wrong about as often as he’s right.

He who works his land

will have abundant food,

but the one who chases fantasies

will have his fill of poverty.

~Proverbs 28:19, NIV

The Encounter

I wrote the poem below after reading the Bible passage (John 4) that tells about what happened centuries ago when Jesus came to a certain town. I urge you to read it for yourself and to believe, as the woman and the other villagers did.

I took this photo during a musical presentation at a local church.

Jesus came to my town one ordinary day

And really surprised me with what He had to say.

He told me who He was and all I’d ever done,

So I believed Him when He said He was God’s Son.

I told all my neighbors, “You need to meet Him, too!”

And we invited Him to stay a day or two.

As He spoke, we realized all He said was true.

Many believed in Him—way more than just a few.

The encounter with Jesus changed many a life,

Though the plain truth He spoke often cut like a knife.

I’m glad He spoke with me one ordinary day

And completely changed me with what He had to say.

Everyone can tell I’m truly a “happy girl”

Now that I know and love the Savior of the world.

To know Him is to love Him, and I surely do!

And there's more good news: He loves ME—and also YOU!

Words As Sweet As Honey!

Gracious words are like a honeycomb,

sweetness to the soul and

health to the body.

Proverbs 16:24, ESV

When I read the above verse, I immediately recalled the photos I’d taken the day my husband robbed the bee hives he’d put at the far edge of the backyard. After he’d suited up in his beekeeping garb and gotten the smoker ready, etc., he headed to the hives and removed the wooden frames that held the honeycombs. He placed them in a big, aluminum dishpan, and then he brought the pan of delicious sweetness to a table on the screened-in porch. There, he used a sharp knife to release the honeycomb from the frames, as shown in the photo below. My mouth watered at the sight of that golden goodness oozing from the honeycomb.

He no longer tends bees, but we always keep “store-bought” honey on the lazy Susan on our kitchen table. It’s especially delicious on a homemade biscuit, but I love it so much that I’m happy to eat it all by itself—one teaspoonful every day or so. But now when I eat it, I’ll think of the above verse, which will remind me how sweet and healthy gracious words are!!!!!  (They’re calorie free, too, so I can enjoy them all day—every day!)

Fall's First Blush

Like a blush rising in a maiden’s face,
Fall is arriving at her own slow pace.
A hint of color here and over there
Makes me say, “Oooh!” or just sit and stare.
A touch of pale red, a burst of soft gold…
Aaah! Soon these colors will be rich and bold.
As Fall’s blush deepens and spreads day by day,
I like to linger long along my way.
For all too soon Fall’s colors will be gone,
Leaving trees and vines barren and alone.
But, for now, Fall’s lovely blush delights my heart,
Each time I gaze at the Great Creator’s art.

© September 14, 2003 by Johnnie Ann Burgess Gaskill. For permission to use, please contact her.