Hey all! Took a ride to a property I purchased in 2005. 34 + beautiful acres resting on the side of Pine Mountain running east -west across Georgia. As I drove up the grassy road I passed by Walnut Trees I planted about 15 years ago. Behold I saw Walnuts hanging in a few trees. My spiritual brain began immediately to digest the sight before my eyes!
Oh my – the journey that followed:
I stopped – got out of my truck and began picking up fallen walnuts . Some were still green and as many where in the process of turning black. Before long I had a bucket full of walnuts. Time to head for home. On the way my mind raced back to the days of my young when my father stopped in front an old house that had a huge Walnut Tree near the street. There the ground was covered with fallen walnuts. My dad loved walnuts and we quickly began collecting those fallen walnuts covered with green and black husks.
Again — My Oh My – much later (too late) I would recall my dad’s warning! Oh yes he did!
When I arrived home, I rushed into the house and to my trusty computer! Search “Video – how to de husk walnuts”. Remove that green and turning black shell within which the walnut is protected as it matures. The video showed the walnuts being placed in water and rigorously stirred in a process to remove the husks. Simple – I should have studied much more!!
You Guessed It – yes I did! into a bucket of water went the newly fallen walnuts!
Let them soak a while – patients is called for! But this day patients was in short supply! Yes I did – you bet into the water went my hands to fetch and peel each walnut! I discovered the ones turned black peeled the easiest. The green ones no such luck. After about 15 minutes I pulled my hands out of the water to BEHOLD!!! Black fingers and palms! Oh Oh – what does one do?? Oh yea – my dad’s ancient warning jumped into my mind! Too Late??
Oh – Removal of husks multiplied by removal of stain with yet to come removal of the shell just to discover and encounter the treasure hidden within!
Back to the computer I raced! My imagination was running wild thinking of what my wife would have to say! You betcha!! Vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, lemon juice, vegetable oil – all concoctions to rid the stain – yes the ingrained stain to my fingers and hands. The trouble she is a brewing from the haste to discover and encounter the walnut nut – hidden inside the shell covered by by the husk which turns the water into a black stained soup – which is resistant to almost everything! Yikes! I am a goner!
The Stain the Pain: Guaranteed Pause to Reflect on the Stain:
The Holy Spirit me wonders doth follow me around for the laughs I insight. Looking at my stained hands I began to grasp and digest the spiritual secrets and treasures hidden in God’s creation of the Walnut tree and my story – a human nature story. A walnut has two protective hard covers within which it can safely grow and mature! Hmmm! Kinds like us humans! We too need a protective shell as we grow and mature. But hey the Walnut has two protective layers. You betcha! Hmmm? To get to the heart and treasure of the walnut hidden within one must find a method to remove two different protective covers! One which by nature will deteriorate if left alone and the second not so easy to remove! My oh my! A new skill set! Er! Maybe – could it be an ancient skill set??
to be continued ……..
Staring and Contemplating the stain to my fingers and hands cause me to reflect upon the difficulties we humans have communicating. It is as though there is a hidden protective cover to avoid an encounter with another who expresses themselves in a way that threatens our self image.