Strawberry Jam and the Sweetness of God

It is funny how some things get etched in your brain. Things, that to most are insignificant, like making jam. Today I am home from school due to our 2nd snow day this week, because of the massive mid-west snowstorm. As far as large amounts of snow, our town was spared. We instead, were hammered with little ice pellets for about 30 hours straight. It could have been much worse.

I decided to use these days playing catch up, and I decided to get some things done around the house. In my freezer there was a tub of crushed strawberries that I had purchased last summer at a great price. Things were very busy last summer with moving husband's parents, so I decided just to crush the berries and freeze them for a better time to make jam.

Last night, as soon as I learned school would be canceled for today, I pulled the tub from the freezer. As soon as I pulled out the tub my mind went back to another day. Jake and I did this same thing two and a half years ago. He was living at home, it was in the summer and he had the day off work. We had a tub of berries in the freezer then, pulled it out and started the process. About half way through I received a phone call.

That was the day I learned I had cancer. You can go here to read about that day.

So much is different about today. I am living on the other side of that awful news. Now I can rejoice in simple things, like making jam. Now I can remember the way God led me through a very dark time and how he taught me to trust him.

I suppose I will always think of strawberry jam in a special way, instead of tasting the sweetness of just the berries, I will taste the sweetness of God's promises. God is good. Even in those days of uncertainty about my health, I knew that God loved me and was in control. I hope I conveyed it then. I hope I convey it now.