Lemons, Grapes and Coffee!

"And she was in bitterness of her soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore" 1 Sam 1:10

It has been a tumultuous month for me. Unexpected upheavals and unforeseen blessings. In times like these, my regular Bible study has taken me to the book of 1st Samuel.

Here, I meet young Hannah; with her own story of grief and turmoil. As I read the prayer of Hannah, I quickly note many aspects of her prayer. She prays to the Lord of Hosts, she prays in faith, she prays in tears, she prays with fasting, she prays persistently, expectantly and wholeheartedly. What happens after her prayer is answered is history....

I am driven to think aloud "When life gives you turbulence, its time to remember your moments of blessing! and Pray!!".

Here's a poem about lemons and grapes and coffee; the sour, the sweet and the bitter!

"I wake up, a little late in the afternoon.

It has been a long long night. I have been awake.

It is only in the morning I have caught up with my sleep!

There as I look through my window, 

I see the dance of  the afternoon sun with the wind among the trees.

On my table is my salad bowl and coffee.

A queer assortment in the bowl of the only items I could find,

as I raided my refrigerator.

Lemons and grapes! And coffee to go with it.

Bitter and sour and sweet.

My small moments in life.

I gulp the bitter coffee first.

It's amazing how bitterness awakens you,

to your presumed reality.

Like a jolt!

A pinch!

A shake!

This isn't a dream.

This is it.

This is real.

I could not care to much for the lemon,

It is there, because it is!

Some lemon juice?

May be not.

There is already too much

that has gone sour.

I hold it in the palm of my hand.

Feel its rough texture as I roll my thumb,

and think about how thick its skin,

with so many pits.

Life has a quaint way of giving lemons,

when you don't want them!

There, last of all,

quiet, unassuming, it is there.

Glistening in the faint rays of stolen sun.

A bunch really,

neat, huddled, as if to signify 

even in the cold there is warmth.

I am never alone.

I have never been.

There is so much sweetness in life.

I just need to reach out,

there tucked in the recesses of time and place;

memories, moments, friends, loved ones,

joy, hope....faith.

Well, the only thing that will drive out the bitter taste of coffee...

Is a good great helping of grape juice!!

Here I go, with a generous helping, ready to face the world and life ahead!!