When I was a young girl, growing up in rural Virginia, I would spend a couple of weeks at my Mammaw and Pappaw’s house with my siblings during the summer. There were fields to explore, barns full of freshly mowed hay, and cows.
We played hard and worked hard whilst we were there. Mammaw and Pappaw would have us help picking vegetables in their massive garden. There was always an abundance of vegetables to bring in and put up. In addition to the garden, we would pick Cherries. I think we ate as many Cherries, as we picked. They would explode with sweetness and tartness in my mouth, and then the fun of finding out who could spit the pits the farthest. Mammaw would say, “If you keep eating so many Cherries, you’ll get a belly ache.” Did we heed her warning? No, and sure enough I’d end up with my belly aching.
After a day of bringing in String Beans, Corn, Squash, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, and Cherries came the task of snapping beans, shucking Corn, and pitting Cherries. We’d sit on the back porch, with bowls in our laps working to get it all done. Honestly, by the end, we were hot and tired.
Mammaw would shoo us off to the bathtub, while she started preparing supper for us all. I loved coming back downstairs to the aroma of the food she was cooking. There was a big pot of those beans we snapped, fried Squash, sliced Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Salmon patties, and yeast rolls. She would summon everyone to the supper table and Pappaw would sit at the head.
We’d bow our heads to thank God for the wonderful bounty set before us and His provision. Mammaw would pour us all a glass of Sweet Tea with Lemon, and then we all filled our plates. I remember so well sitting there with my feet (which couldn’t touch the floor) swinging, and all of us chattering about the day. Pappaw would laugh at our antics, and our older siblings tricking us younger girls into eating sour Persimmons.
As Mammaw would clear our emptied plates, we would detail our time jumping from the loft in the barn into the hay and how we didn’t have a care in the world. Just enjoying the simple life, as young Virginians being loved and cared for by those who peopled us.
Then Mammaw would surprise us all with a bowl of Cherry Dumplings that she had cooking on the back burner of the stove. The breeze blowing through the open windows cooled us a bit, while we would sink our heads and lift Spoonfuls of that sweetness Mammaw turned out with those hard picked Cherries.
As I look back on that time in my life, I am thankful for Mammaw and Pappaw. More importantly, I am thankful that a sovereign God placed us with those lovely people who infused the love of Christ into our lives. It permeated every task we did. It was experienced in Pappaw’s lap, as we giggled while he pretended to chew our ears off. Oh, how deeply appreciative I am of knowing that God loved us so deeply in every crook and cranny of that home.
How blessed I am to have had the abundance of God in a warm bowl of Cherry Dumplings. Oh, how deep is that love and how wonderful His goodness.
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. Give thanks to the God of gods, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. To Him who alone does great wonders, For His lovingkindness is everlasting; To Him who made the heavens with skill, For His lovingkindness is everlasting; To Him who spread out the earth above the waters, For His lovingkindness is everlasting; To Him who made the great lights, For His lovingkindness is everlasting: The sun to rule by day, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, The moon and stars to rule by night, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. To Him who smote the Egyptians in their firstborn, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And brought Israel out from their midst, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, With a strong hand and an outstretched arm, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. To Him who divided the Red Sea asunder, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And made Israel pass through the midst of it, For His lovingkindness is everlasting; But He overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. To Him who led His people through the wilderness, For His lovingkindness is everlasting; To Him who smote great kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And slew mighty kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting: Sihon, king of the Amorites, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And Og, king of Bashan, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And gave their land as a heritage, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, Even a heritage to Israel His servant, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. Who remembered us in our low estate, For His lovingkindness is everlasting, And has rescued us from our adversaries, For His lovingkindness is everlasting; Who gives food to all flesh, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. Give thanks to the God of heaven, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. (Psalms 136:1-26)
Azalea Trees and Tea Rooms 