We’re very blessed to live in a beautiful rural area, with a view of the sea. But there is one “drawback” to country living – the constant battle with horrible thorny brambles intertwined into the hedge around our property, and I’m forever complaining about them. They’re ugly and the thorns can really do a damage if you don’t handle them with caution. But I have a short memory! Every single year, come September, those same horrible, thorny, ugly and torturous things are groaning under the weight of their big fat juicy blackberries!
As I picked a huge bowlful yesterday morning, the Lord reminded me of how, in the same way, He turns the “ugly” in our lives into beautiful, working everything together for our good, bringing abundant blessing out of the difficult times. Trust Him, wait for the “blackberries!”
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”
Romans 8:28
Jill
Mustard Seed Blog 
Ahh, you brought back delicious memories. As a child in a rural area we had the same bushes – my mom picked enough for bottles of jam 😋.
Thanks for sweet thoughts and godly encouragement, God bless you sister.
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Oh how lovely Lisa Beth; Blackberry jam is my favourite! And blackberry pie is scrumptious too 😋
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Those blackberries look delicious! We used to have blackberries and black raspberries around the house, though not enough to make a pie with. Sometimes we picked enough to have over ice cream, so that was good. While I liked picking the fruit, I was always leery of the possibility of snakes. Because of that, sometimes I left the fruit for the birds to eat. They enjoyed it too!
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They are delicious 😋 I have enough to freeze 2 boxes and the bushes are still laden with them, not just in our garden, but the fields all around where we live, for at least another month. Thankfully we don’t have to worry too much about poisonous snakes in Northern Ireland 😃
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We do have a variety of poisonous snakes (copperheads) around here, but seeing even a black snake (non-poisonous) is enough to make me vacate the area! 🙂
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I have a short memory too and sometimes forget that God has a good plan for even the difficult things in my life. Thanks for this very meaningful reminder today!
Wishing you blessings in abundance.
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Thank you so much Marva . 😊I think, if we’re honest with ourselves, we all have that tendency to forget. Isn’t it so good to know that in spite of our flightiness the Lord never forgets His covenants, His promises, or a single one of His children.
We are a blessed people indeed! 💜
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