“The earth has yielded its fruits; God, our God, has blessed us. May God bless us, and may all the ends of the earth fear him!” // Psalm 67:7-8
The sunrise highlighted the vibrant purple hues from the plum trees and the warm orange tones of the apricots. The purple lines on the otherwise green figs meant they had ripened. The birds tweeted away their excitement as the juicy fruit was ready for picking—though human hands attempted to pick the fruit before feathered friends got to it. The moisture emitting from the trees as they absorbed every drop of water from the sprinklers in anticipation of warding off the excessive heat was a welcome sign that summer had arrived in the Mojave desert.
My family friend’s yard felt like its own secret garden in an otherwise parched desert. House sitting was my favorite because of this one-acre-yard which, if you are familiar with houses in Las Vegas, Nevada, is considered a real wonder.
The culmination of this oasis in the desert was the picking of the fruit for making jam. Baskets upon baskets of apricots and plums would make their way inside; all lined up in preparation to be washed, boiled, and canned. After making the jam, the surplus fruit was shared with family, friends, and neighbors. Some made it to our home parish as well.
“The earth has yielded its fruits; God, our God, has blessed us. May God bless us, and may all the ends of the earth fear him!” (Psalm 67:7-8).
Those fruit trees reflected to me the goodness of God, the blessing that God imparts on us to reap and live off the land.
What a blessing it is that God allows all of this to exist for us. There is no aspect of creation that doesn’t reflect the goodness of God. The seemingly insignificant seed allows us to eat and be alive.
Where do you see God’s blessing surrounding you? It's easy during these slower summer months to fix our gaze on our screens rather than on His goodness.
Today, look for the fruitfulness He has yielded in your life, nourishing you both physically and spiritually.