Apples Galore!!

Twenty years ago when we moved here from Ontario there were three fruit bearing apple trees in our back yard! So thankful for the foresight of those before us who were willing to plant apple trees. Just think, they might not have even enjoyed the fruit of these trees that they had planted so many years ago. What a good picture for us. We are given the command to spread the good news of the gospel. So we faithfully hand out tracts, find creative ways to witness to co-workers, memorize scriptures that will help us have an answer when we are asked, pray for opportunities to share Christ, and then give God all the glory when we see souls saved. Yet there are many times that we don't see the fruit of our labour. Are we going to throw in the towel, and say "What's the use of all this work?". Please don't!! 
Galatians 6:9 says And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. It is God who gives the increase so leave success up to God and keep on being faithful, you will not be disappointed in the long run. We all want to hear Christ say to us, Well done thou good and faithful servant. So how to we start being faithful? It's a choice that you must make every day, and it's starts in laying aside your will and letting Christ rule in your life. Christ being Lord of your life will show itself in the small things...Having a cheerful attitude when you are sick, giving up your idea of what you want to play when with siblings, a kind word vs a unkind word, being quick to forgive, spending time in God's word and loving it (!!), ultimately having a true genuine love for Christ and others!! Your love for Jesus will compel you to share Christ with others.So how is your love life today with Jesus? Are you being a faithful spreader of the gospel? Wow!! I really needed to hear this today...maybe you read this and are discouraged because you figure you will never get witnessing down...call unto Christ and he will answer you and show you great and mighty things which you don't even know!!

Yes, I know these aren't large apples, but their flavor is phenomenal.

We used to do most of the applesauce work inside, but little by little we have been moving that work outside! Here we are cooking the apples until they are soft enough to go through the applesauce maker.

Caleb got this grand idea to put the applesauce maker on the very edge of the picnic table. Typically we put the maker in the center of the table and we only have a flat plastic container the sauce drains into, and someone has to take the sauce and transfer it into a large plastic bowl to be sweetened. As you can see with the maker on the edge of the table the sauce drains into a large plastic bowl. Yes!! one step was eliminated in our applesauce process. We are always looking for ways to save time...and yet with all the years that we have been making applesauce none of us had ever thought of this idea!!

The end result. This summer we have canned well over 100 quarts of applesauce!!

Apple wars!! Who says you can't have fun and work at the same time:):) Totally thankful for my mom and my three youngest sisters, Marie, JoAnna, and Esther for doing the bulk of the work processing applesauce this year.

 To close I have a couple verses that were a big encouragement to me this morning.

¹⁴ For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
¹⁵ And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
¹⁶ Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
¹⁷ Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
¹⁸ And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
¹⁹ To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
²⁰ Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
²¹ For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.


 Signing off: EJM