Purple Hull Peas...

Ok, first of all let me get this straight. I was raised in Houston and am pretty much a city girl. I had never heard of purple hull peas until I was introduced to them by my dear husband. They look like black eyed peas to me, but those were always from a can and were only eaten on New Year's Day. I surely never grew them, picked them or shelled 'em! That all changed last week!

It has been a little crazy around here lately. We painted and re-carpeted two rooms in our house. So...everything is in my dining room. The house is therefore a mess and this makes me "feeeel" very out of control at times. It is hard enough keeping the house clean on a normal day with 5 kids, but this is just over the top! Well, after cleaning all day as best as we could, in walks my sweet husband. He explains that he is so excited because he wants to introduce them to something from his childhood. He then goes to the car and walks in with a VERY large trash bad of these peas! A bushel of purple hull peas!! My first thought is, "Oh greeeaat, more mess for me to clean!" Yes, I know..totally selfish.

Not so with my very wise and spiritual husband who NEVER shrinks back from a big project! He begins to explain what they are and how he planted them when he was a kid and actually made a great profit off of them. He explains the conveniences of our time and how back in the old days people had to work for their food. They all got a bowl and were told when one bowl was full, they would be given dessert. So, the shelling began! Little peas were flying through the air, shells were getting dropped, and bowls were spilt several times.

This went on for at least an hour. Dear husband then begins to explain about working together and sacrificing for a common good. They all worked feverishly trying to fill up "their" bowl when the light bulb finally went off. My two oldest combined theirs and then began to compete with the little two - who received support from Grandpa and Dad. It took them another hour and tired fingers to wise up to the full lesson. When they saw bedtime was approaching and they were about 1/2 way there(with their combined bowl),they began to lobby their 3 year old sister! She was quite proud of her growing bowl of peas and had no intentions of sharing nor any concern for the bigger picture.

She finally gave in after some very persuasive arguments given by her two older siblings. At last, the bowl was filled and dessert was enjoyed with little, purple stained fingers!

They worked hard the next day and on the third day, desperate to get the peas and all of the extra mess out of my house, I finally joined in on the fun and we finished. We enjoyed peas and cornbread for dinner...the fruit of our labor!

I love seeing the kids learn a powerful lesson. I love that my husband is so cool and wise. I love that in ministering to our kids, he still ministers to me.

Lessons of the cow pea patch:
1. Work Hard: All hard work leads to profit. Pr 12:14 & 14:23 & 13:4
2. Work Diligent: Blessed are the hands of the diligent. Pr 10:4 & 12:24 & 21:5
3. Work Smart: Sharpen your ax and it makes for easier work. Ecc 10:10

"Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity,but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty." Pr 21:5 NLT

"The appetite of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the appetite of the diligent is abundantly supplied." Pr 13:4 AMP