Sundays are my second favorite day of the week. It's my soul day. Since I was a little girl, I remember leaving for church only to return home to a house full of wonderful smells - potatoes, greens, beef roast, chicken, cakes, pies, you name it. Sunday was a day to feed your soul and your belly. We ate a little more on Sundays and did absolutely nothing to burn it off. It was a day to relax and reflect on the week ahead. This tradition was passed down for generations, and I am passing it along to my young men as well.
This Sunday would prove no different, except when my wee ones saw me with a bowl full of green beans in their fresh-out-of-the-garden state, they were puzzled. I don't think they've ever witnessed me snapping green beans. I guess they thought they came in frozen produce bags or cans. As I was explaining to them how it's done, my mind transported me to my Granny's front porch. As a child I spent hours rocking in a swing, snapping peas, shucking corn or solving my little world's problems. My Granny had a way of making the most complex situations so clear and easy, and she did it while shelling enough peas to cook, blanch and freeze for the next few months. That dark-skinned, blue-eyed lady was full of wisdom. She always said, 'When you're working with your hands, you can get some real thinking done and when you learn to be quiet, you'll hear God's voice as clear as I'm talking to you right now. You just keep living. You'll see what I mean.' I smiled in agreement because I didn't quite get it, but I kept living and soon those words rang in my heart.
I now know that my Granny didn't literally mean you had to prep your own produce in order to keep busy and wait for wisdom. What she really meant was stay the course. Do what you're supposed to be doing, whether it's snapping peas, running a marathon, playing with your children, working on your car or building your business. You shouldn't be paralyzed because life is being life - unpredictable, beautiful, crazy, sad and joyous, sometimes on the same day. That's life. While you're busy not getting knocked out by life, you'll be centered and ready to receive the direction you need. And that's when the magic happens. You'll get clarity, see miracles unfold and be at peace. Now please excuse me while I get back to snapping these peas.