When you write a book, you never know where it may show up some day. One of mine went to the Lord’s Acre sale in our neighborhood last fall. In case you aren’t familiar, here is a little history:
This is a tradition of the Methodist church, especially in rural areas. When it started many years ago, farmers would actually set aside one acre of ground to the Lord. Whatever they grew in that field belonged to God. Sometimes they raised sugar cane and then made molasses to sell at the Lord’s Acre Sale. Or maybe they tended vegetables that could be canned for the sale.
Over the years, the auction has grown to include hand-made quilts, beautiful furniture, baked goods, craft items, and at least one novel by a local author. I don’t know who donated my book, but someone told me it brought about three times its retail price. That just blessed my soul!
The Lord’s Acre Sale takes tithing to a whole new level in my mind. It is so tangible. Not just a check going into the offering plate, but a cabbage that I sweated over in the July heat. Now that it is planting season in our part of the world, I’m thinking about this concept again. I’m looking around my virtual fields and watching for ways to apply my new motto: The first acre for God.
I’ve come up with a few ideas, but I’m always open for more. Any thoughts?
Great thoughts Kathy. I’m guessing I probably know which church it went through too. 🙂
I grew up close to the earth, and I finally feel like I’m getting back to it and it feels like home. This makes the concept of “first fruits” or a Lord’s Acre very real in my world. The way we do it is to “tithe” the fruits (and veggies!) of our labor by giving away the first/best of what we pick to those around us. If we have two tomatoes and one is bruised, we eat that one at home and we give the other one away. Just like the temple sacrifices had to be without spot or blemish, we try to make sure what we give away is the best we have to offer.
Just tonight I gave away some asparagus. I picked out the stalks that weren’t too short and weird and weren’t too tall or woody and gave those away. We ate the tall woody ones for supper tonight and will eat the short weird ones another night. 🙂
We also don’t choose the “rich powerful guest” to have the best seat. Meaning, we give away to those in need of a little help now and again, and to the folks that most other people just seem to forget about in daily life. If we saved our very best for the most popular person in hopes of gaining favor, then we aren’t doing it for God.
I’m anxious to hear what everyone chimes in with!
I love this, Carol! Like it says about your ancestor, Srgt. York, “you’ve got the usin’ kind of religion.”