pass your basket

“The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!" Galatians 5:22-23 (New Living Translation)
I love this translation of this passage! The Holy Spirit "produces this kind of fruit." Just picture it, The Holly Spirit out in his overalls, standing by your “fruit orchard” ready to cultivate the soil, plant the seeds, turning on the hose to water them, nurturing them until it is time to harvest each fruit in its own season.
It is no secret that this has been a very difficult year for me, to say the least. It all started in February when Tommy fell from the ladder. Then my birthday came and I hit 'that number.' In the month of June Kevin moved out. However, through all of this I have been able to see the fruit that has been produced in my life. In the last eight months I have not only been given one or two pieces of fruit, the Holy Spirit has blessed me with a complete basket of fruit!
Here’s some background information, I think there are two types of people in the world the “the rippers” and “the peelers.” A ripper is someone who rips the Band-Aid off, is sometimes brutally honest, and just says what is on their mind, not being rude, just a real person, a kind of "here I am attitude, like me or not." Rippers usually have high energy, can be closed minded, and seem to think that there is only one way to do things, their way.
A peeler is the exact opposite of a ripper they take their time going slowly and trying not to hurt your feelings, they want people to like them, and are careful about how they say what’s on their mind, if they say it all. They seem to move at slower pace and are more likely to see other opinions.
I classify myself as a ripper; sometimes it hinders me to see the good in people. Well I am pleased to report that through a horrible turn of events, I have changed a lifetime of thinking. Don’t get me wrong I’m still a ripper, but I think I am going through some sort of blending process…stay with me, I do have a point.
Even though my marriage is over with no hope of restoring it, I have allowed myself to slow down enough to experienced true love and kindness from people who otherwise I would have been to busy to notice that they care about me. Did you get that, “I would have been to busy to notice.” How sad is that? There were people in my life I was to busy to notice. Not anymore, I have slowed to notice who is around me and to thank them for all they have done for me and for Kyler.
I have permitted myself to feel the peace and gentleness that comes like manna from heaven. He is the only reason I can get out of bed and make it through the day. Even though this is the hardest road I have ever traveled I have a peace about the journey. I know that there is a gentle hand guiding my steps and calming the waves when I ask Him to help me.
I have witnessed the real goodness and faithfulness of people for the first time in my life. After Tommy’s accident people lined up to help, they did not care what was asked of them, they just wanted to help in someway not wanting anything in return. I have realized that people are not always looking out for themselves; they don’t all have hidden motives. After the accident a trust was set up to help relieve some of the financial burden of the cost of Tommy’s care. I have held in my hands checks ranging from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. However, the one that means the most is the one that comes every month from a woman who is easily in her seventies and on a fixed income. Every month she is faithful to send a $25 check and a note, it is always the same, “Please put my small contribution with the others and God will be faithful to bless it just the same.” By seeing these acts I have been blessed beyond words. I have seen that under all the talk and garbage people can throw at you people really are kind and giving.
I have found that the last three fruits are bittersweet and the hardest for me to accept, self-control, patience’s, and joy. I never really had a large quantity of these gifts before this year. So it is very unusual to say that I seem to have an abundance of them now. I’m not sure if I have been given more of these gifts or that I have learned to implement them in my life now. I find myself thinking about what comes out of my mouth now. I want what I say to be an encouragement to someone not a discouragement. I am showing patience’s to others because patience’s was shown to me when I was on my "sabbatical". I find joy in the littlest of things. It is truly amazing what you can find to smile about when you look hard enough!
As promised here is my simple point, the Holy Spirit knows what fruit you need and when you need it. So don't be picky when He gives you a piece, "you get what you get and don't throw a fit" just pass your basket and say thank you.