So we're in a 'temporary' housing situation that at times has been trying, but we have survived. I don't always feel like I've actually conquered it, but at least with God's hand, I've been standing my ground, or at least, a year later, I'm still here!
Last winter, I would walk by a house with a pear tree that had shed pears all over the ground and road. The owner told me I was welcome to all I wanted, so I picked up all the good ones, and took them home to can. Very proud for being successful, I got nine quarts of pears out of it. As summer wore on, I would think of those pears and I would say, "God, I don't really want to put anymore pears up! I like them and I appreciate them, but they are hard to cut and I don't really have the right supplies and had to rough it last time, and I feel so inadequate at working with them. I really don't want to be here that long!"
Well, here it is autumn once again, and every week I think of those pears. I don't walk past them because there are several dogs living on that end of our road now, but I think about them and decided not to drive past them. I don't want to see them and feel obligated to pick them up. Now why on earth, do I keep thinking about those pears – and what difference does it make to me or anyone else, if I pick them up or not. But, I keep thinking about them and avoiding them.
Fast forward to this last weekend, we were blessed to go visit with a couple of our friends that we hadn't seen in over a year. The evening went well and we had a great time! They said a prayer for each of us, my request, being to be ready to move. Afterwards as we were at the door to leave, one of them ask, "Do y'all like pears?" Needless to say, I went home with a bag of pears!
This morning I asked God once again, "What is it with those pears!" Only this time, I stopped and said, "Ok, what are You trying to tell me with these pears?". So I called my sister and asked her to look up what pears stand for — the answer?
"Patience!"