Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Bearing Fruit

We have been blessed with a plentiful crop of raspberries this year. Early one morning last week, my husband joined me to pick some for breakfast. As I plucked them quickly from their life source, I began noticing how full of character each berry was as I studied their design.

A raspberry.

Not a fancy building.
Not a classic car.
Not a designer sweater.

Simply a raspberry.

A small berry is just starting to take its shape, while the fully mature berry sits proudly next to it. Both look so different, yet they are attached to the same vine. It occurred to me that in order for this fruit to grow into a beautiful, strong and mature berry, it needed to be connected to the vine with a root system that would provide it life. I needed this reminder.

I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5

Two Days Later...

The same raspberry...disconnected from it's source of life - this is what happens to my heart when I choose not to stay connected to my Creator (my vine). Thankfully, God never lets me go.

10 comments:

georgia b. said...

beautiful, miss mary. i love this photo and very much appreciate what you have written, too.

i think i like you being a blogger!

Rob Stevens said...

So very well said...funnny how a time picking raspberries can provide us with such a significant reminder of how critical our connection with God is.

Caroline said...

Lovely...gives me much to think about...

Anonymous said...

Very nice post and pretty photo. Welcome to blogging, Mary.

ELK said...

hello mary ~welcome...raspberries and all!

Meri said...

Georgia B steered me here. Welcome to blogland!

Char said...

Hi, I'm a blogging friend of Georgia and wanted to drop by and say welcome. :) Beautiful photographs and beautiful "seeing" the story with the photograph. Love the analogy.

Sandy K. said...

I've traveled to you though that wonderful friend of yours, Georgia. Special relationships are gifts. Your blog is beautiful in photographs, words, and sentiments. Welcome to the blogging world - it's quite addictive!

Memories Of Mine said...

I'm here to wish you a warm welcome to blog land. I would never allow a raspberry to get to that state, I love them too much and I would take it and nurture it in my tummy.

Your blog looks like it’s taking shape nicely with some interesting post. :)

beth said...

lucky you...
we can't ever get to our berries in time as all the deer eat them up faster than we hardly even know they're on the vine.....

that first shot....fabulous !
the second shot....kind of sad, huh ?