A Day For Sweeping Up The Heart--And Celebrating A Harvest

Gathering up some squash, green beans,
sweet corn and tomatoes.

The Bustle in a House

The Morning after Death

Is solemnest of industries

Enacted upon Earth--

The sweeping up the Heart

And putting Love away

We shall not use again

Until Eternity.

- Emily Dickenson, #1078

We just got word this morning that a favorite brother-in-law, Allan Shirk, 79, died this morning at 4:25 at a hospice care facility in Mt. Joy, Pennsylvania. It was just two months ago that he was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of cancer, so we were ill prepared for having him leave us so soon. His wife Ruth Ann, and daughters Melissa and Beverly, along with their husbands and children will miss him terribly, as will all of his many friends and loved ones.

This was also a morning for harvesting some of our sweet corn and other produce from our garden, some to freeze for later use and some to go into a big kettle of homemade stew to likewise savor and "put away" for winter use.  I was reminded that it was mere months ago that all of this abundance began from a handful of seeds buried in the soil, a kind of metaphor for new life emerging in a truly miraculous and amazing way.

"The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body."

I Corinthians 15:42-44 (NIV)