It’s still dark and it’s raining. In fact, it’s really raining. But as we have seen the photos of the destruction wrought by Hurricane Ian, we should reflect on how fortunate we are. This does not seem to be the terrible rain storm brought by Ida last year; it just seems to be very, very wet.
It’s also a new month, one we more traditionally associate with fall. Yesterday I noticed that leaves were beginning to turn on the maples and sycamores. The nights bring a deeper chill than before. Pumpkins and all other kinds of squash varieties now grace the garden shops and grocery stores.
Native to North America, pumpkins are one of the oldest cultivated plants, having been used as long ago as 5500 to 7000 BCE. Often considered a sign of natural bounty, they grace our fields until picked and cooked or baked. Touching a pumpkin and running our hands over its smooth slightly ribbed skin should make us consider the magnificent bounty of God.
Prayer for the Day
May we be grateful, O God, for the little things life gives us,
A field of pumpkins, bushels of apples, and winter squash;
May we be thankful for the bounty of the earth, even felt in rain,
For it forces us to reflect on your world of wonder.
Bring us, O Lord, to the place where we share our bounty
With those who have little and need our help.
In the name of the One who feeds us all,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Thoughts for the Day
Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”
- Epicurus, Greek philosopher (341-270 BCE)
Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.
- Maya Angelou, poet, from Celebrations: Rituals of Peace and Prayer (1928-2014)
The Lord is my strength and my shield; in God my heart trusts;
So I am helped, and my heart exults, and with my song, I give thanks to God.
Psalm 28: 7