What bumps?

James 2 (Young's Literal Translation)

The Royal Rule of Love

James 2:2-4 For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor”—well, doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives?

2nd Annual Pumpkin Patch Trip

Mackenzie is just three years old but she re-taught me a lesson on our trip to the Pumpkin Patch a few weeks ago.

Our favorite place to go for our Harvest (Halloween) pumpkins is Emery's Blueberry Farm in New Egypt, NJ. We frequent the farm and farm store often throughout the year. I love their pies, just not the blueberries. If you know me, you know I don't like any berries, much to my mother's chagrin. I don't believe Mom would count life necessary without berries, especially straw & blue.

The Emery family offers a wagon ride around the farm, bypassing the actual pumpkin patch returning their guests to a field with rows of pumpkins "planted" for easy pick up.

Families also spend time looking at farm animals and taking pictures with the large cutout Halloween and farm-like characters.

Mackenzie allowed us a quick visit with the penned animals but was totally focused on choosing pumpkins. One for herself and one for Brayden, her four month old brother. She wasn't interested in the wagon ride either, so directly to the field we went.

We adults all know the complexities of carving a not-so-perfect pumpkin. If you don't find the flat bottom and the fully rounded, flawless surface to carve, you might have a lopsided looking jack-o-lantern.

As we adults tried steering her to our opinion of the perfect pumpkin, Sweetiepie had different ideas.

Cute picture, right? Well, look at that pumpkin! Bumps all around it! How do you incorporate that into a typical jack-o-lantern face? May I be crude and call them zits? pimples? But Mackenzie didn't notice. And her parents, God bless them, did not even try to point them out. To bring attention to its flaws may open Mackenzie's eyes to the "flaws" of her family, friends and neighbors. And grandmom! Oh please let her love me with my gray hair, extra pounds, imperfect complexion and not the most "today" wardrobe, and my silly jokes etc etc.

What a lesson in the pumpkin patch! What ever our fellow men wear - or look like - or smell like - or talk like - or _____________, welcome them! Into your house of worship, your fellowship, your home, your circle of friends and family.

Thanks Mackenzie, Grandmom needed that!