Am I ripe, or am I still just a bit green, needing to sit on the counter a bit longer to allow my flavor to deepen so the fullest, most delicious bite is its finest? I first completed an extensive study on the above verses with Pam Thompson. She was a pushover for any study where “joy” was an included element. So, Beth Moore, here we come, and full speed ahead! Since that long ago summer deep dive into Beth’s study on the well-known and loved Galatians Fruit of the Spirit passage, I’ve experienced a maturing of the flavor of my Fruit. I would certainly hope so; I’ve been on the counter a good while by now. However, in some ways, I’m still there, awaiting the perfect maturing of all delightful essences of this Fruit, two of which are self-control and faithfulness.
Dependence as a Virtue
“Yea, I think it’s fine, just a rib out of place so it hurts to breathe.”
I was on the phone explaining the situation to my husband in the aftermath of me trying to pack up for a family trip on my own. I am willing to admit, I have a problem. I am very motivated to do things on my own, sometimes to the detriment of my own body. Like in this instance, when I was doing a lot of heavy lifting (luggage, pack-n-play, double stroller) after a few days of nearly constantly holding my (growing and heavy) teething baby which had put a strain on my back. I decided I could get our stuff ready to load up and I was not waiting around for my sweet husband to be home (in which case he would have certainly been trying to do all of these things for me!). While I thought it would all be fine, my back decided it had other plans.