Ponderings from the front porch of the parsonage while looking over the church's pumpkin patch…

In James 5:7-8 we read, "7 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near."

The Fall Festival is behind us, and it was a glorious day indeed! The weather was extra nice, there were new friends courtesy of the VW Car Club, we had our beloved Circuit Riders singing, Mike was giving hay rides with our favorite little Ford tractor, there was the snack bar, the bake sale, vendors everywhere, and oh yes…the pumpkins!

The pumpkins arrived early and the farmer said it was a grand crop. We unloaded a seemingly endless cargo, and once again the front of Chestnut has that beautiful orange glow of pumpkins. But a month ago we were not so sure. You see we saw a picture of the pumpkin fields in early September and there were not many blooms on the vine. We needed rain, and good temperatures to pull this together, but the reality is, our farmer can only do so much preparation. Then he, like every farmer everywhere, just needed to wait. Rest assured there were pumpkin prayers said along the way as well.

Saturday we were blessed with the bounty from the earth. But we had to wait. And waiting is a hard thing to do. Lately I have discovered that I don't mind waiting as much as I used to. I am finding that being in a hurry, being anxious for results, being in constant motion takes a lot of energy. I have discovered that in my patient waiting, I can often see what God wants to reveal to me. Maybe in my waiting I will learn something about myself, maybe I will see another person in a different way, maybe I will dis-cover a person in my midst that if I was in a hurry I may not have noticed.

It seems our world is an anxious place now a days. We want resolutions, but are we willing to take the time to get to the root of the real problem? We want to change, but are we willing to pray about what it is that really needs changing. Can wars truly cease if hearts are not changed? Can we address the needs in our community without addressing and defining who we are and what our vision as a church is?

Like a planted crop in a field, we are a work in progress. We need to patiently grow. We need to be intentional to growing, and developing as we move toward a season of harvest. Chestnut Church is growing, and we are becoming more aware of just how gifted we are. God has blessed us, so let us grow into the beautiful fruits of faith that our world needs. Let's take time to be still and appreciate where we are and who we are. And if you need a moment or a place to do that, I know a pumpkin patch nearby!

Pastor Ken