Humbled by the Harvest

These past two weeks have gone by so fast! It’s so hard to process all that we did!

Our team spent Monday (the 30th ) volunteering at Tent of Nations, digging holes, planting baby almond trees, and continuing to move a giant pile of rocks. Tuesday it rained so there wasn't a whole lot for us to do on the land so our team stayed home and helped with a few “office” type jobs ToN needed done. We basically compiled a list of our testimonies from volunteering there and then found encouraging quotes and bible verses that can be used for social media or for signs on the property. We also made a promotional video that shows the heart and the hope for ToN (you can click here to watch it if you’d like). It was super fun to create, I hope it’s what they wanted lol.

It’s pretty much been raining ever since Tuesday. And not the typical down pour and then light sprinkles on and off for the rest of the day - no - pelting, freezing cold rain. All through the day and the night, rain that doesn’t let up for even a second. There’s a glass roof above the wood stove in our living room; it leaks a little and drops rain on the hot metal stove. It was actually quite peaceful to listen to the rain and then hear the water sizzle as it hit the top of the wood stove. While I could complain that the rain puts a literal ‘damper’ on our plans, I can’t. It’s been such and adventure running through the pelting rain, catching rides with strangers, hailing taxis, and hiding out in hotels.

I can’t complain because I think about the place we are staying in Bethlehem, and the farm we’ve been volunteering at and how much they need the rain - they depend on it. I think about how we’ve been told this winter has been so much different than every other winter because there hasn’t been a whole lot of it. I think about how the rain water ( or lack of it ) affects the crops. How these people rely on rain water to shower and filter for drinking, because the water usage is regulated by the Israeli government. I can’t imagine living for the rainy season and then not getting any rain. These people in Bethlehem are so grateful for the rain. So why can't I be? And that’s why I can complain either.

It’s so easy to look at the world and complain about all that is pouring down around us and  only see the world through the fogged glass and the streaming window pains and think that it’s going to be a terrible day because of the current circumstances and soggy weather. But if we can shift our perspective to see how someone else sees, we can see the blessing in between every puddle, every drop of rain and bucket full of water. And that’s where I’m choosing to find joy this week. I’m choosing to find joy in other peoples blessing. I’m choosing to find joy instead of finding something to complain about. Am I doing a perfect job?  Absolutely not, and I’m almost positive my team can attest to that; but it’s a process to honestly find joy and find contentment no matter the season. Rain restores the land so I'm going to allow it to restore me and heal my soul.

I used to think the rain was un-cried tears. I thought “What if all the tears we didn't cry were collected in the sky?” I think now about how God hurts with us. I imagined Him collecting all of our un-cried tears. And how the clouds are a collection of tears weighing on God for the pain you feel until he releases it all for you. I thought that's why listening to the rain felt so good to your soul, because you are listening to what it sounds like to let go of the tears you never cried. It reminded me of that quote that says “ no rain, no flowers” ( I have it printed on a t-shirt lol) and when there isn’t rain there can’t be flowers. “April showers brings may flowers” isn’t a myth, or a cute song, it’s a fact. If we want to enjoy the beauty of a flower but can’t find gratitude in the rain why should we get to experience their beauty? That’s a reminder for me that we need to endure the pain of the rain so that we can be humbled by the harvest.   

We spent this past week in Jerusalem ( I'm excited to write about our adventures even if it did rain all week :) and we just made it to Nazareth earlier this afternoon, I'll try and post an update soon!

-Talk soon, Aspen