Harvest Time…
As summer closes, and the atmosphere shifts, I’ve thought quite a bit about the new season that is upon us. Most refer to this time of year as Fall, while some call it Autumn, and even others refer to it as, “Harvest” time. This word in particular prompted my curiosity, so I decided to do some research. I wanted to know the actual meaning of harvest, per the dictionary.
Here are some of the definitions that I uncovered;
1. The Process or period of gathering in crops.
2. Season in which crops are gathered; the season during which crops ripen and are gathered.
3. A mature crop.
I’ve personally used the word harvest on many occasions. I’ve done so during the times I thought back to trips through pumpkin patches, hay rides or other wonderful, seasonal activities that enabled me to recall past “harvest” times of my youth. When I hear the word today, it also causes me to think of terms like growth, reaping, abundance and change. Even mainstream America capitalizes off the word. I see “harvest” plastered upon candles, lotions, and on various signs found throughout every type of store this time of the year. Based upon the definitions above, I thought to myself, how can I further relate this to the journey of life? Uhm…
Like seeds and crops, we’ve all planted some with the expectation of collecting the basketful of blessings that they provide. I think it’s only suitable that we, like well seasoned farmers, expect to reap a “mature crop.” The fruits of our labor have to manifest..right? Of course, life is like seasons. There is seed, time and harvest. It’s a rule of thumb. All the genuine efforts that are poured in, are determined to yield a healthy return. as long as they were planted in good,fertile ground that is. Yes, there’s a catch to reaping a ripened crop! It doesn’t just appear after hundreds of hours of no attention. One cannot expect to yield an abundant harvest, if the seeds planted were not sown in the appropriate ground, or none were sown at all. I know what you’re thinking… how do we determine whether the soil was “good,” or not? Example- If you recently started a new business venture, and you’ve worked the land tirelessly; making industry related contacts, developing your product and brand, passing out business cards, and attending classes and/or related activities to further enhance your skillset…then you’ve planted seeds in fertile ground. On the flip side, if your counterpart started the same type of business, around the same time period, but has not attended one seminar, passed out one business card, worked to build their brand, or to develop their self, yet sits back and expects to reap a mature crop…. it’s a ridiculous thought to assume that doing nothing at all, or the bare minimum, will reap abundance. It requires work, commitment, dedication and the planting of good seed, in fertile soil. This concept is promising to me! It provides a hope and an assurance that I would otherwise not be able to offer myself. If you’re on a journey, and feel like you’ve yet to reap the intended harvest, remember it takes time. Look at the bamboo tree for example. Don’t expect to see any signs of life for FIVE long years. Then suddenly, it begins to break ground in the 5th year, and accelerates up to 80ft., in 6 short weeks. Can you say amazing!!!! I sure think so. This is so encouraging to me. Though not always easily visible, in due season, you shall reap what you sow! Galatians 6:9~
Thus, I think I’ll fall into the percent of citizens that refer to this time of year as, Harvest, as opposed to Autumn or Fall. The idea of reaping a ripened and mature crop, greatly appeals to me.
Harvest Season in the Midwest~
Connecting Passion and Purpose 