In a Jam

Well, summer is here in my beautiful Northeast Tennessee Mountains, bringing warm weather right along with it.  And, along with that comes the delight of harvesting fruits and then veggies from the garden or from our local growers.  And, of course, my summer isn't the same without some time spent preserving those fruits and veggies.  I was happy to find some good apricots, which is difficult to do out in this part of the country, and we had some berries from the garden and really yummy ones from local growers.  So, off to the kitchen they go to make the first jam of the season.

You know, there is just something magical about putting several pounds of fruit and some sugar in little tiny jars. I have so many wonderful jam-making memories. I remember the first time I ever heard a jar lid pop signaling to me that the' fruits' of my labor were ready for storage. I remember the excitement of my boys every time they heard that same sound, and even now it brings a smile to my face. There is something about it that just makes me feel good. I wonder if that's where that old expression ' in a jam' might come from? It reminds me of how God stirs us up to good works. We're crushed until the juices flow, poured into a pot , mixed with a little sugar of God's love, and stirred until we boil hard enough and long enough that we are just the consistency He wants us to be so He can spread us where He wants us to go. I only wish I was better at jumping in the pot so I wouldn't have to be crushed quite so hard!