And the thirst.  I can’t drink enough.  Its pretty amazing that my weight is actually staying close to the same, as on Saturday at my nephew’s birthday party I felt like I sweated out 10 pounds.  There was not enough sweet tea in the joint to keep me hydrated.  What a blessing it is to have such a great clean water system that makes it so easy to hydrate during the hot summer months like this.  Even when I am the most uncomfortable, I can still head inside and get a nice cold glass of water and I usually have a shirt that I can change into.  That’s so nice that it almost makes you think you can handle anything.  However, even with that blessing there is still a water that is better.  Its the water that your spirit thirsts for, and unlike the water we drink, it can really quench your thirst.  Listen to this exchange at the Jacob’s well.

Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

⁷When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” ⁸(His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

⁹The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)

¹⁰Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

¹¹“Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? ¹²Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?”

¹³Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, ¹⁴but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:6-14 (New International Version)

Wow, what a great promise.  The contentment of having no thirst – mean I think means no sweating!  That’s a great peaceful promise.  A constant source of spiritual refreshment.  A well to to eternal life.  That seems the right place to be.  And then look what Jesus says later in John.

³⁵Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.  John 6:35

Its by belief you can get that living water, and you can be constantly refreshed.  That’s something to consider on this extra hot August days.  Is your spirit thirsty?

Its been a great experience this spring, taking care of these vines by directing their growth and providing support and water.   And finally what a pleasurable experience walking into the house with hands fulls of fresh produce.  Its a great thing being a vinedresser.  I can only imagine the pleasure the Lord gets in when he observes the fruit we bear.  Check this out – still from the Johns:

¹“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ²He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. ³You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

⁵“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. ⁷If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. ⁸This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. John 15:1-8 (New International Version)

This is to my Father’s glory!   Yep!  The Father loves to walk into the kitchen with a big grin on his face and an armful of fruit – your fruit!  Live today in a way that glorifies the gardener by producing fruit!    Are you not sure what fruit you can produce?  Take a quick look in Galatians and if you know the song sing along while you read it.

²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Today, pick something that you have had laying around that you have been wanting to do, and just get it done.  I am going to spice up the front page of this site a bit, so that http:\\www.butcherville.com actually has some content, even though my friend Blue Line has returned to be with me all day today and tomorrow!  What are you going to do? Can’t think of anything?  Here are a few suggestions:

• share the Daily Buffet with a friend, I know you have been wanting to- maybe some one else is as crazy as you and find encouragement through through this bit of text.
• mow your lawn ( ok not really)
• say a prayer for Tennessee Jed.  I have spoken with him a little this week, and he is still struggling with lots of stuff.

It’s amazing how many things we want to do, however  we never stop and take the time to do.  Its like that in all aspects of life – even our spiritual lives.  We have high intentions, but find ourselves wandering.  Sometimes its the battle within ourselves that prevents us from getting things done. Check out Galatians 5.  This is an interesting verse, especially around the end of the 17th verse.

Galatians 5:16-18 (New International Version)

¹⁶So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. ¹⁷For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. ¹⁸But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

Which is it that we want to do, that we do not do – the sinful nature, or the desire of the Spirit? Anyway. which are you going to let lead you today?  March Fourth leave the flesh behind and be led by the Spirit, then watch what happens!  Do it today – March Fourth!!