Blackberry Patch Lessons

From time to time, we are blessed by a guest blog post. Enjoy the following by one of my sweetheart girlfriends, Shila Barker. Every summer, she picks blackberries then sends me mouth watering pictures of her bountiful harvest. 

Now THAT is a fine looking blackberry!

Recently she excitedly shared with me about what God had shown her in her blackberry patch.

Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5, NLT)

I learned something in the berry patch today. We can think about fruit, talk about fruit, and plan for fruit all year long; but, if the vine or the connection to the vine isn't healthy, the fruit just won't produce. Connection to the vine is crucial. 

Pruning out unfruitful weeds (distractions, life sucking attachments) is absolutely necessary or even with the best intention, fruit won't produce properly. 

I am so thankful for a vine that is continually faithful to feed and nurture the branches where fruit almost effortlessly produces because of the massive love that flows through the vine!


In Him,
Shila Barker

I Just Saw Two Whole Hearts!

You will seek me and you will find me when you seek me with your whole heart. (Jeremiah 29:13)

My oldest daughter and I were pregnant at the same time. As awkward as that may seem to some, it has been one of the most amazing blessings and fun times of my life.

The children who we delivered, who are less than three months apart, pursue one another more than anyone I have ever experienced. When Gracie and Caley spend the night together, they insure they wake up two or three hours earlier than normal just so they can be together. To elaborate, two or three hours earlier than normal falls within the range of 4:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. To further elaborate, that is very early.

Their excitement doesn’t fade. If they spend a week together every day is spent staying up as late as possible and they are up again early every morning. Even when they are very tired, there is something that rises up and overrides their fatigue because they don’t want to lose any time with one another. When it is time for them to go to their own homes, they cry for one another and say, “But we didn’t even have enough time to play…”

It is highly uncommon for them to have a squabble but when they do, I tell them to separate for ½ hour. They both cry and plead with me not to separate them. Whatever the offense was, it is immediately overridden by the possible threat of them being separated. That’s true forgiveness!

When they are apart (we live in different towns) they draw pictures for one another, write each other notes, and save them for when they are reunited.

Last night, we watched a parade together then I took Gracie to a food court and we were waiting for my oldest daughter to bring Caley so we could have dinner. Gracie said, “I am just so excited! I’m just going to sit here and watch the door until Caley comes in!” And, she did.

When we walk together, they insure they are holding hands. When we eat, they insure they are sitting together. At the ripe age of six, they have already devised elaborate plans on how they are going to live together when they grow up. Currently, that plan includes sharing their home with lots of guinea pigs.

They consistently leave the family circle to spend one on one time with each other. Their relationship is quite amazing and one I find difficult to define.

I’m an early riser, today I was up before 6:00 a.m. True to form, Gracie and Caley were up playing quietly in the living room and had been for an undetermined amount of time. They had shut my bedroom door. I’m unsure if they wanted me to be uninterrupted or if they wanted to be uninterrupted.

Unbeknownst to them, I quietly observed them playing and my heart remembered Jeremiah 29:13, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” I wondered, had I ever sought God the way Gracie and Caley seek one another? I also wondered, had I ever worked as hard at my relationships as they do theirs?  Has my excitement about my relationship with Jesus ever faded?

Mahalo nui loa for the lesson girls, I'm going to go do some wholehearted seeking now.