In Season

Rhubarb

by Bgrace

In Season. This was the "word" I got a couple weeks ago when I was preparing to go about all the usual preserving of the harvest. Hmmmmm. Doesn't really make sense. I mean, especially now that I'm going to be eating mostly fruits and vegetables. But the Lord is so creative in His lessons. By now I know that He is not just giving me direction about physical food. It's a natural lesson that has spiritual applications and implications. But I'm not sure what it all means yet.

So I'm pondering the words. What does "in season" mean? Well, today it means that when my rhubarb has long, wide, bright pink stalks and vibrant green leaves, it's time for eatin'!

It's ripe, it's ready, and if I don't eat it now, it will go to waste. I will lose out on a wonderful opportunity.

This week at Roots, the girls and I were almost done our shopping and the girls and I stopped by the ice cream stand so I could get them a kids cone. The ice cream stand is right by the apple farm stand and I had mentioned to the girls I really wanted to get some apples. I only had a little cash left over--and realized that I wouldn't have enough to buy them each an ice cream cone and enough apples to make something with. I asked the gentleman at the apple stand if he would take less for his apples and he said no. I tried my best Mommy excitement and said, "Girls, wouldn't you rather have some apples than ice cream?" Sarah and Emily started jumping up and down yelling, "Ice cream! Ice cream! Ice cream!" So I resigned with a smile and turned to the girls to ask if they all wanted ice cream.

I was surprised when Grace shook her head no. I asked her, "Are you sure?" And she nodded. I thought maybe she was full, because she had eaten a pretzel. But she held her resolved even after the other two had their cones. I counted my change, and realized that I had enough with the extra 75 cents to get a small basket of apples. I was so excited. The man at the stand even threw an extra one in. (Probably felt guilty.)

I looked at Grace and said, "Thank you so much honey, because of that extra money I was able to buy the apples I really wanted." She smiled and said, "I know. I didn't get ice cream because I wanted you to be able to buy apples."

I gave her a great big hug, much more blessed by her unselfishness than even the apples.

So this morning, I revised a recipe to fit my new diet. It was a recipe for apple-rhubarb pandowdy. I peeled and cut up the apples, picked my rhubarb (it was so pretty I had to take a picture), cut the rhubarb into 1/2 in. pieces, added cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, 2 T of wholewheat flour, 1/2 cup of maple syrup, and mixed it all together. I put it in a baking dish and topped it with sliced almonds (instead of a crust.) I baked it at 400 for 35 min.

Grace looked at it excitedly and asked, "Mom, can I have some?"

OF COURSE, Grace, I would love to share it with you. (That is if Sarah doesn't eat it all first.)

It was so good.

In season...enjoy the harvest at its peak, relish the blessings of the present.