A story from Buddy

"I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things have I given willingly and with honest intent." 1 Choricles 29:17

This weekend my grandparents have been in town and DR & I have really enjoyed spending time with them. We ate dinner tonight at Newk's Cafe which is a delightful sandwich, pizza, soup, salad, wrap place. MMM yummy.

Anyways, you're probably wondering why the verse at the top?....Buddy (my grandfather, that's what we call him) told us a story of when he was 6 years old. He and his younger brother lived across the street from a wealthy family who had apple trees in their front yard. Him and his brother used to collect the apples that would fall on the outside of the fenced-in-yard and take them home to eat. Well, one day not many apples were falling and little Buddy and brother of Buddy were hungry... so they decided to climb the fence and pluck some apples down themselves. They gathered them up in a basket and shuffled home. Their mother had a sixth sense apparently (as most mothers do) and she knew they were up to something. She asked where they got all the apples and they told her from across the street. She said she wasn't going to whip them (as she often did when they were in trouble). Instead she told them to take them back and apologize for stealing them. Little Buddy and brother of Buddy walked, heads hung low, over to the neighbors house and knocked on the door. A tall man, with white hair came to the door and said, "You're the Stuart boys. Whatcha want?" Little, timid Buddy showed him the apples and apologized for taking them. The tall, white-haired man said, "Wait here a minute." In fear, little Buddy and brother of Buddy stood, wondering their fate. A minute later the tall, white-haired man came back with a bushel of apples and said, "Because of your honesty please take these home to your family."

Buddy said, from that day on it reminded him that honesty always brings blessings. It's the same with God. If we stay in the place of obedience, we are sure to reap a harvest of blessings! Who knows what your blessing could be? Once in a while I have a few "apples to return" but the choice made to return them always brings joy.

My mentor Jody always says, "Obedience is the safest place to be." How true.