Ann Farabee column — A little sweeter
Published 12:00 am Sunday, August 30, 2020
By Ann Farabee
I sat down beside my four-year-old granddaughter to watch her enjoy some chunks of watermelon I had put in a bowl for her. As soon as she took the first bite, juice began rolling down her chin onto her neck, her shirt, her shorts, the chair and the floor. I grabbed a napkin, as she looked toward me and said excitedly, “It tastes sweeter than it did last time.”
It seemed more like juiciness to me, but the sweetness was definitely flowing everywhere as I began to wipe her chin.
The watermelon, according to the book of Hope, was a little sweeter than it had been the last time.
I totally understood.
For it reminded me of my life.
Of many of our lives — especially over the last few months.
The simple things we may have never even noticed before, somehow now seem to have become a little sweeter.
Things like:
Walking in the doors of our church to worship — a little sweeter.
Walking in a grocery store — a little sweeter.
The new school year beginning — a little sweeter.
Going to work — a little sweeter.
Getting together with a friend — a little sweeter.
Spending time with our family — a little sweeter.
Walking in our neighborhood — a little sweeter.
Watching a child eat watermelon and not worrying about the juice — a little sweeter.
Yes. It is flowing everywhere — the sweetness of our lives.
She then reached into the bowl, handed me a chunk, and said, “You wanna taste it and see?”
When I heard her words, I answered with these words, “I sure do.” I tasted it. I saw. I was a bit too proper to let the juice run down my chin, but tears were running down my cheeks, as I said, “Yes, Lord. I have tasted and I have seen that You are good. And… it sure does get sweeter every day.”
Psalm 104:34 says, “My meditation of Him shall be sweet.”
Psalm 34:8 says, “O taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man who trusts in him.”
Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com.