Fallowfield United Methodist Church volunteers picked 40 pounds of blueberries on July 19. This may sound like a lot, but we need 200 pounds to make blueberry pies and summer harvest pies for Crawford County Fair week. I think the torrential rain we’ve had in the Atlantic community this spring and summer hurt blueberry crops. So it’ll take several days to pick all we need.
Blueberries are my absolute favorite food. Mom craved blueberry pancakes when she was expecting me. I guess God formed me with a love of blueberries.
I eat frozen wild blueberries on my Cheerios every morning. I eat bowlfuls during early July, when I can buy fresh, locally cultivated blueberries. Blueberry pie is my favorite, and, of course, I love blueberry pancakes and muffins, blueberry crisp, blueberry ice cream…pretty much anything made with real blueberries.
Blueberries are native to North America. Native Americans called these “star berries,” because they have a five-point star at the bottom. Flip over a blueberry next time you eat one. You’ll see the star.
Blueberries are good for you, plain and simple. There are lots of reasons why, such as their antioxidant properties, low-calorie, high nutrient value, and lots of other scientific stuff. And they taste delicious. That’s the best part.
Anything naturally blue is a bit miraculous, if you think about it. Blue is a rare color in nature. Let’s put aside the conundrum of blue sky reflecting the ocean and blue ocean reflecting the sky issue. I know there’s an explanation, something about scattering blue wavelengths of lights, but my brain doesn’t absorb these kinds of details. So let’s move on to something I do understand.
Something about the color blue lifts my spirits. Blue chicory, morning glories, bluebirds, blue jays, blue hydrangeas, and two varieties of blue butterflies I’ve seen while walking make me feel good. They’re so rare and so very beautiful.
Cobalt blue is my favorite color. Lapis Lazuli is my favorite gemstone. It’s close in color to cobalt blue. I’m not the only one who things lapis lazuli is beautiful. In Ezekiel 1:26 and 10:1, God sits on a lapis lazuli throne. (NIV)
Now, while I LOVE blueberry pie, I can’t recommend it as a health food. But let’s pretend that during fair week calories don’t count. So stop by Fallowfield United Methodist Church’s booth during the Crawford County Fair, August 17 through 24, and try either blueberry or summer harvest pies. You’ll get a mouthful of blueberries and maybe life will seem a little better afterward.
All God’s blessings to you this week.