Pears

Tell me about an ongoing battle you have with a critter that’s trying to outwit you.

We have a pear tree outside our back door. It’s a tree that has really become the bane of my existence.

In the summer, this pear tree drops no less than 100 plus pears on peak days.  I know this because my grandkids won’t pick them up for a penny each, but they will for an M&M.  So, they count.

Apparently, these critical critters don’t care much for the pears themselves, but the seed inside is another matter.  So, they chomp and chew spitting all pear refuse outside our back door.  Spitting all refuse on our walkways.  Spitting all refuse on the lengths of our wooden fence.  Spitting all refuse over grasstop. You get the picture.

Here’s a lesson in pears, or maybe it’s a lesson in squirrels, I don’t know.  But, pears don’t just attract squirrels.  They attract flies.  They attract bees.  They attract ants to name a few.  Oh, and birds.  They attract birds who want the flies, the ants, and the bees. There’s a real fruit feast outside our back door.

And, don’t think for a second that whatever is outside, doesn’t want to come inside that back door.

So, whatever pears the grandkids don’t pick up, I get out my power blower and try to blast them away from the house or whomp them from here to there with the water hose until squirrels come back to do it another day.

Which means, everyday.

Well, there was one particular profuse pear day, where I had to take a deep breath and the heaviest of sigh when I thought this crazy varmint must have had enough of me disposing of his territorial pears.  Because, a windowsill on the opposite side of the house was lined with them. I mean, on my windowsill! Were they taking this too far? In my exasperation I thought they were.

Imma Gonna……..

My husband plays with me that I’ve taken something too far and laughs at the degree of cleverness I’m attributing to a tree-dwelling rodent.

But, evidence is on the windowsill.

Everything in him was trying to hold back as long as he could while finding entertainment in a ridiculous rant I was having in believing something to be true.

With his guilty conscience he said, “It’s me. I placed those pears on the windowsill.”

Pause for my heavier and exasperated sigh at mockery.

Keep pausing.

You want to know how the good Lord diverted my attention that day?

I read, “God’s people can produce fruit that survives even death.”

Produce what?

“Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Goodness. Gentleness. Faithfulness. Self-Control.”

Self - what?

I pause.

Well, to this species that tries to outwit me when I take things too far.

God is your Savior!

Galatians 5:22-23