Good Night from 116 Cedar Street - Watermelon, Salt and the Seasons of Life

 As the leaves begin to change and the days become shorter, I think back on the many exciting days that happened on Cedar Street and the ones we always looked forward to.

I recall sitting at my grandparents’ house, the Hunters, on a late summer Saturday. We had harvested many vegetables, and now the best of the best from the gardens was coming in.

Watermelon was absolutely one of my favorites.

Grandma Hunter had just sliced open a huge, long, green-striped watermelon. As the family gathered on the front porch and in the yard, all of us younger ones were required to go out into the yard to eat our watermelon.

As young kids, we could make quite a mess as we ate our way through the melon and navigated around the seeds.

But there was one thing we had to do before we began.

Put salt on the watermelon.

Now, some people like it and some do not. As for me, absolutely. It is a must.

I will never forget sitting on the sidewalk in front of my grandparents’ house and enjoying that big slice of watermelon.

The heart was always the best.

As you made your way through it, the juicy, sweet taste eventually gave way to the less-sweet taste of the rind. I would scoop out as much as I could with my spoon because I did not want to waste a single drop. Then, I would tilt the rind up and let whatever juice remained slowly pour into my mouth.

As always, my brothers and cousins would finish long before me.

When I finally came to the conclusion that my tasty treat was gone, we would take the rind and throw it over to the chickens. They would run across the lot and begin pecking away at it.

Soon, there was not much left of what, only a few minutes before, had been the beginning of a sweet summer treat.

Looking back, I think about what God may have been showing me as a 5-year-old boy.

We are called to be salt and light to the world.

A salt shaker was always nearby at every meal.

The heart of the watermelon was always the best, and I am reminded of the Scripture that says, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”

The rind was not as tasty as the heart, but it was still part of the ending to a sweet treat.

We knew there would be more watermelon to enjoy over the next few days, but we also understood that once they were gone, there would be no more until late the following summer.

You see, seasons come and go.

Just like the season you may be in right now.

You will get through it. It will pass.

As I write this story, fall is upon us. Then comes winter, followed by spring and summer.

It is the circle of life.

Your circumstances may not change immediately, but through prayer, faith and perseverance, things can change. Many times, I believe God is already working in our situation while we are still trying to catch up with what He is doing.

It amazes me when I think about planting a seed.

We prepare the soil, add fertilizer, plant the seed, cover it and give it water. Along the way, we take a hoe and remove the weeds.

Eventually, a vine appears.

Then comes a small melon.

With time and care, that little melon grows until it becomes ripe and ready for harvest.

You cannot pick it too soon because it is not ready.

You cannot wait too long because it can become overripe.

Just like any harvest, timing is important.

I believe the same can be said about walking in faith.

A harvest takes work, whether you are growing watermelons or working in the church. When we follow Scripture, plant good seeds and tend to what God has placed before us, we can see a great harvest.

If we neglect the work, the harvest may be small or may never come at all.

From the day we are born, we are constantly seeing, hearing, observing and learning.

As we grow older, time seems to speed up, but hopefully wisdom becomes a greater part of our daily walk.

Growing up in Algood always seemed to provide a teaching moment.

From our families to our neighbors to the people across town, each of us became part of the story and legacy of a small but growing community.

As I close, I can begin to see the leaves changing.

Fall is in the air.

As one season ends, another begins.

We are blessed to live in Tennessee, where we can experience the beauty of all four seasons and watch God’s creation change before our eyes.

Good night from 116 Cedar Street.