Month: August 2017

¹ The heavens proclaim the glory of God.                                                     The skies display his craftsmanship.                                                              ² Day after day they continue to speak;                                                             night after night they make him known.                                                  ³ They speak without a sound or word;                                                       their voice is never heard.                                                                             ⁴ Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,                                  and their words to all the world.                                                              Psalm 19: 1 – 4 (New Living Translation)

Today’s solar eclipse captivates millions of us. I don’t know if you got the protective eyewear or will even get a break outside as it occurs, but this celestial phenomenon made big news!

That’s exactly what Psalm 19, as quoted above, states. The sky speaks to us and it clearly speaks of God.  Truly all of nature points to its Creator.  The beauty of mountains, flowers, snow, and the big cats as well as the power of oceans, wind, volcanoes, and earthquakes remind us of the Divine.  These tell of God without words and through a common language.

But the heavens are a unique impression of God. The sky is something that can always be seen and it can always be seen by everyone.  That is not true of the ocean or snow or wild cats.  The firmament also has a way of suggesting eternity.  Where does the dawn come from and how far do the stars go and why is the sky so vast?  We think these thoughts as we gaze heavenward.

So as you join in the eclipse excitement today, consider that God is sending sky watchers His message.

Farmers markets are one of my summertime delights.   I love to head out on Saturday morning to shop for produce at our nearby farmers market.  It’s located in the historic downtown on a lot amid the justice buildings.  The vendors are regulars and I try to divvy up my purchases among them.  Usually I buy a week’s worth of peaches or other fruits in season, and fresh veggies, always including corn on the cob for a meal.  A few crafters, a honey man, an organic meat vendor and a baker also sell their wares but I generally stick to buying the fresh local produce.  I wince at the prices but remind myself that I like to support hard-working people.

When my kids were young, I followed a different routine. We went to the Tuesday farmers market, also in the downtown area.  We enjoyed mingling with the families and retired folks.  We often ran into friends.  I let the kids help pick and carry our purchases.  At one point, a local church served free lemonade; a treat we looked forward to.  The morning usually included another activity such a library visit or a stop at the adjacent playground.  I really miss those summers with the kids at home!

Actually, I have a history with farmers markets. My earliest market memory is with my grandmother when I was a little girl. She took me to a downtown market on a bus because she did not drive.  The city’s open air market filled a permanent concrete structure.  I don’t recall her purchases but afterward she baked many kinds of delicious fruit pies!  Bowls of berries were plentiful in her kitchen too.

 

I have visited farmers markets in quite a few cities. Since vacations tend to occur in summer, farmers markets make a pleasant outing.  I have joined family at farmers markets in Hamilton, Ontario; Holland, Michigan; Brooklyn, New York; and in Lynchburg and Blacksburg, Virginia.  I took students on a fieldtrip that included a huge historic market in Baltimore and friends took me to a similar market in Philadelphia.  Each market reflects its unique region yet they share common set-ups and the same kinds of goods.

Produce stands and markets aren’t about deals and convenience. Open air markets provide fresher produce from small-time, local growers.  Grocery stores have their place but buying direct is personal, nutritious and much tastier!  I feel very blessed to have the extra means to shop in markets and enjoy better food.  I don’t take for granted that we are not in a severe drought or devastated by a blight or infestation.  These things have happened before.  Instead, the crop fields and orchards are abundant with God’s goodness which He generously provides for me (Psalm 104:14-15).  If you also recognize ‘from whence’ the bounty on your table comes, you might practice that graceful habit of giving thanks at meals, just as Jesus did (John 6:11).

POSTSCRIPT – My dad visited last week and he edited my draft. He gave me several basic, but very helpful writing tips:  the advantage of being a writer’s daughter!  I noticed that he inserted a possessive apostrophe after the word “farmers” which I also felt was correct.  But in searching out the usage of “farmers market” the apostrophe now seems to be omitted.