No Mountains... No Ocean... Where's the Beauty?

TRUE CONFESSION: I've been mesmerized by the harvest of the HUGE cornfield by our property. The field's approximately 1 mile square & took ALL day long to harvest - with ZERO breaks! The farmer started early in the morning on the southeast side (where the sun was already warming the field & drying off the morning dew). He finished up over 9 hours later. He crossed a road to do another field. I can still hear his equipment off in a distance. I'm grateful that I was able to watch the farmer today at work. I've been held captive by his hard work!

One of my favorite parts about living here has been the harvest.  I'm sure the farmers have been amused at me as I've stood in the "dust of their work" with two cameras in hand - snapping shot after shot.  I can't seem to get enough of the view.

Although raised in a rather rural community at the base of the Appalachian mountains, I've never really lived out in the country between miles & miles of open fields. Living here has awakened a new love in me for the mid west! The beauty is simple - yet profound.

I remember a time when I could not imagine life without mountains decorating the distant horizon. The mountains reminded me of the "greatness" of this planet. I remember a time in my life when I thought I would only be happy living beside the ocean & smelling the salt air each time I walked out my door. Walking beside the sea & watching the sun rise seemed like the best view a person could ever see.

In this season of my life, I am drinking in the beauty around me... right here in the state of "stuckinindiana". The golden hour over a newly harvested field is breathtaking. The waves over a sea of winter wheat as the wind blows over the open spaces out here is gorgeous. The color changes of the soybean fields as they mature are beautiful. The variety of trees in the wooded areas along & between the fields turn a rainbow of colors as the harvest begins & ends... filling my world with color.

I keep returning to this thought lately...

Beauty surrounds us -- everyone of us, no matter where we are, no matter where we are headed. We only need to open our eyes to it. 

Linked with the Nesting Place community through the write31days challenge, October 2014 - post No 11.

Autumn - A Time of Sowing

The first time I boldly stood at the edge of the field as the farmer passed by in his combine harvesting the corn, I learned a valuable lesson. One should NOT stand too closely to a combine harvesting corn! The large beast of a machine aggressively grabs up 8-10 rows of corn and forcefully shoots out debris... everywhere. That first year, I should have more closely observed the neighboring horses in the field beside -- as they backed away a safe distance until the combine had passed.

This year, as I was eagerly awaiting

HOPE, Gleaning the Harvest 10-21-13

Just to clear my conscience, I need to make a few true confessions first off: 

1. I didn't NOT like the post that I had ready to go for today. It just didn't feel right for the day -- more adjustments needed to be made.
2. I went back to bed after the girls left & slept in WAY too late due to getting to bed around 2:30am after returning home from the Colts/Broncos game last night. GO COLTS!!
3. Around noon, I was running late to get my sweet A before her mommy went to class.
4. I threw sweats over my jammies & headed out the door. (No Target scarf today to distract.)

And, as is very typical this time of year, I found it very hard to drive by the farmers harvesting the fields without snapping a pic or ten! But, I managed to get to our fixed meeting point for our glam-daughter just ahead of her mommy. HOWEVER, on the drive home, I just had to stop for a pic or two. Our sweet baby girl was fast asleep in the car seat, so I why not stop to take a few harvesting pictures.

Suddenly, I came upon what clearly had to have been a huge "OOPS"...

... and the wheels of my mind began turning. I could USE some of that for seasonal decorations and more! I'll post pics of those as they come to fruition. I texted with a few farmer friends to see if gleaning this would be acceptable. I didn't want to get in trouble. I was going to do this in the clear sight of two semi drivers & 2 workers in the field. My friends said, "Sure, go for it." So, I did!

Some "DeeDees" sit at home crocheting pot holders or putting up jams & jellies. This one texts a farmer or two to get some feedback. Then heads out to glean the discarded field corn as the GLAMbaby continues her nap in DeeDee's little yellow car while resting to Mahler, Chopin & Dvorak.

God's word tell the harvesters:
"When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field when you reap, nor shall you gather any gleaning from your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the stranger: I am the LORD your God.” Leviticus 23:22

I would label myself as the stranger in the scripture above. What I did is certainly stranger than what the normal person would do. But, the entire experience filled me with wonder & joy. I love the harvest & I love the harvesters. And I love a God who created me with a childlike sense of wonder over the simple & natural things He created here on earth.

What's around you to glean today... to bring wonder & joy to your spirit. Like my mom used to tell the kids as they were learning to paint at very young ages, "It's all there. Look around you. You just have to find it."

Linking October 2013 with The Nesting Place

 for the 31-day Challenge

Linking with Ann Voskamp - A Holy Experience today...

I've Been Held Captive

True Confession:  I've been mesmerized by the harvest of the HUGE cornfield by our property. The field is approximately 1 mile square & took ALL day long to harvest - with ZERO breaks! The farmer started early in the morning on the southeast side (where the sun was already warming the field). He finished up about 9 hours later - crossing a road to do another field. I can still hear his equipment off in a distance. I'm grateful that I was able to watch the farmer today at work. I've been held captive by his hard work!

Although raised in a rather rural community at the base of the Appalachian mountains, I've never really lived out in the country. Living here these past months has awakened a new love in me for the mid west! The beauty is simple - yet profound.

One of my favorite parts about living here has been the harvest.  I'm sure the farmers get amused at me standing in the "dust of his work" with two cameras in hand - snapping shot after shot.  I love the beauty of it though! 

Harvest always reminds me of how things set aside for us to do - at the appropriate time.  Not everything can be done just when we want to do it.  In the life of someone who proclaims to follow Christ, things need to be done in God's season!  In Matthew 9:37-38 Jesus said to his disciples, 

"The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields."

Be willing to be a worker... but, let Him direct the seasons!