What's in Your Hand?

Every Fall we like to take a family outing to "apple country" that's about an hour's drive away.  We have our favorite orchard.  I'm hoping it's still open this year, because everything there is old.  It's owned by a couple in their eighties, that grow "antique" apples, and have a horse that's something like 36 years old - although I didn't see him last time.

Mrs. W sells antiques (at least she did); Mr. W gives out samples of the apples.  You can't just buy the apples from him, you have to sample the varieties -- all of them.  It's a rule.  If you time it right, you can buy cider made on the antique  apple press.  One year we got to make our own on the hand-cranked press, and saved it in the freezer for Thanksgiving.

Mr. W once told me the story of how he got started, and the old-timer from the neighboring orchard that had mentored him.  He said the old fellow loved his orchard and had worked it for a life-time.  One day the daughter came to visit. He wasn't in the house, so she went out to the orchard to look for him.  He was there, sitting on the ground leaning against one of his trees.  He had passed away with an apple branch in his hand.

That story has always been inspiring to me.  I hope to enter Heaven with my apple branch in my hand too  - having done exactly what I was created to do, not departing from my "life path".  I've been spending time with the Path Planner - just to be sure I'm in the right orchard producing the right fruit.

Wisdom will multiply your days and add years to your life. 

Proverbs 9:11 

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