FLATHEAD CHERRIES - GLORY IN MONTANA!

October 20, 2017

"...the whole earth is full of His glory" Isaiah 6:3

This week Jennie and I had the opportunity to visit my sister at Flathead Lake in Big Fork, Montana. This is cherry country and my older sister and her husband own a cherry orchard on the lake. As luck would have it, the cherries were ripe. My younger sister, brother-in-law, and 3 of their 5 children were also there.

I love traveling with Jennie because she sees things that I would otherwise miss. As we turned north from Missoula and we were about to top a steep climb, Jennie said, "get ready for one of the most beautiful views you will see in Montana..." We topped the hill and there before us was the expansive view of the Mission Mountains and Bitterroot Valley. Jennie always says, "How can anyone see this and not see the hand of God?" to which I quip, "Well if I didn't have you to point this out; I would have missed it!"

In my mind I'm calculating how many miles we have come and how many miles are left to go. I am busy calculating average speed and approximate arrival time. This keeps my mind occupied and helps the miles pass quickly but it also precludes my admiration of the scenery!

Just a few hours later we arrive at my sister's place, walk out into the orchard and gaze at the dark rich cherries hanging heavy from the branches. They are in rich red clusters, glistening in the sun, and Jennie comments, "How could anyone see this and not see God's hand?"

And again, I would be calculating the number of cherries clustered on the branches, estimating how many lugs per tree and if I knew how many trees there were in the orchard....hmmm, I could calculate the number of truckloads of cherries.

In the busyness of my mind I would miss seeing all of the beauty. Worse, I would miss seeing all of this with the view of the incredible things God had made, His creativity, and the amazing uniqueness of His creation.

I am a slow learner, but maybe someday I will slow my mind down and just enjoy life to its fullest. (Maybe two truck loads of cherries?)

Many Blessings-
Dave Lockie
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