I had thought all the grapes were gone but I found this one last bunch this morning. I let the birds have them all because I didn’t want to make jelly. When I saw this nice cluster of plump grapes this morning I though why didn’t I make wine. I probably thought of that from my bible reading lately that speaks so much of vineyards and wine presses. It seems like in bible times wine was a blessed drink from God. Being raised in the strict, Christian home that I was, I would never have made wine from my grapes. Although my grandfather who always lived near us, made wine often. I know how he did it, and I could also have gotten a recipe off the internet if I had wanted to make wine. I probably have not drank a quart of wine in my entire life. When I lost my husband four and one-half years ago, several people encouraged me to drink a little wine for relaxation. I knew it was a sure thing for that purpose, but I was afraid of addition, so I totally refused. I would always think of the scripture that said, “tarry not long at the wine.” How long is too long? My father always said there would not be an alcoholic in the world today if they had not taken that first drink. He also told us children not to go near the water till we learned to swim. My dad did a perfect job in putting the fear in us about these two things. I am not an alcohol drinker, nor neither can I swim. Another strict demand he gave us was, never take a pill that the doctor didn’t give you. Yes, my dad was an ordained Baptist minister, but he never held that position in any one church. He only filled in when asked. He was a farmer.
Once I was grown and married I learned that everyone has to find their own way to Jesus. I felt like a little bird must feel when they are thrown out of the nest to fly or die. I learned to fly , and not on my father’s wings. I discarded a lot of my dad’s strict beliefs, and trusted the Holy Spirit to teach me what I really needed to know. To this day I am still learning the word of God. I do have to say though, my early spiritual teaching is the reason I am free today to choose my own belief. I stayed in the nest till I was well feathered. My mother was a person of submission to her husband. She did not force her belief on us children, because she felt that was our dad’s place, but neither did she live the strict life he lived. Guess what? When I landed on the ground after leaving the nest my mother was the one I called, and not my dad. She is the one that helped teach me how to fly. I never followed in my mother’s foot steps, nor my dad’s either. I followed in the footsteps of Jesus.
God Bless
Myrtle Jean Sharp
No comments:
Post a Comment