Harvest is Here

Fall.

Vibrant colors decorating the trees.

Falling leaves.
Scarecrows. 

Apple cider.

Apple orchards.

Wiener roasts.
Sweatshirts.
Pumpkin patches.

Harvest.

Some years there is more anticipation than others to see how the crops will turn out. If the weather has been ideal, expectations are for an abundant harvest. If the weather over the spring and summer were too wet or too dry, many prayers are said over the precious seeds in the ground. Harvest is a great surprise. It could yield worse than expected, or it could (by only God's grace) surpass expectations.

I used to love late nights with my favorite farmer. In this season of our life, I tuck the kids into bed and catch up on cleaning, ironing and reading while waiting for him to come home, sometimes looking out the window to see the brightly-lit equipment making laps up and down the field outside our house. 

Eli's first solo ride in the combine. 

This is a busy time of year, with lots of trips to the field delivering meals, and dropping off and picking up youngsters who are taking their turn having quality time with their dad. It is filled with equipment repairs (unfortunately) and trips to town to pick up parts. It is exciting and sometimes more eventful than hoped. 

And, although it seems like I have filled the water jug enough times to sustain a camel in a trip across the Sahara, and made enough sandwiches to feed a professional football team, harvest ends as soon as it begins. The equipment is put away, the lunch boxes and water jugs are retired for the season and WE WASH THE DUST-COVERED VAN!!

And then we celebrate Thanksgiving, full of prayers of praise to our God, who has filled the bins and provided more than we deserve, more than we need.