Corn Clumps

Today is national buttered corn day! It is celebrated on August 23 every year. One celebrates this holiday by eating corn with plenty of butter on or off the cob! As a little girl my mom would always cut my corn off the cob for me, and I would beg her to cut it off in giant clumps. In my mind it was so much more delicious to eat a group of kernels instead of individual kernels, and I was always amazed at how the clumps of corn hold each other together.

Perhaps, this is a model for us all as a Christian family. We play an important role in each other’s journeys.

In 2001, I answered a call from God to serve as a summer missionary on a Creative Worship team. It was composed of four college students who traveled around the state of Virginia and in New England as well. I was nearing the end of my freshman year of college, and before my team went off into the field we took part in a special commissioning service.

As a part of the service, people were invited to walk by, drop a piece of corn in the cups we were holding out and say a special prayer over us as we set out on our mission.

As I gripped the white styrofoam cup in my hand I watched prayerfully as each individual person passed by dropping dry corn in my cup. I watched as key people who had played important roles throughout my life flashed before my very eyes. The girl who was born one day after me in the same hospital. The girl I grew up with, my sister in Christ.

My sister’s youth minister. The guy that used to tease her when she was a little girl. Always pulling her hair down when it was up in a braid or pony tail.

My youth minister. The one who challenged me and stretched me. The one God worked through to make me as brave to step out as I was on that day. The one who taught me not to let anything stand in my way. The one who is not afraid to give me tough love.

My campus minister who was so excited to support me in all that God was doing in my life Who is always there to offer me a hug a smile and a word of encouragement

My supervisor who would train me to go out and spread the word of God creatively.

The mother of a friend from college who supports me even though she doesn’t know me that well. She is a mother who cares what God is doing in the lives of her daughter and her daughter’s peers and friends.

The people who I did not even know who passed by me and were led by God to bless me, pray for me, and drop their corn in my cup. My heart was truly touched at this.

As Christians, just like corn we are called to clump around each other, to allow God’s love to shine through us as we hold one another together and lift each other up in prayer. You may not be a big eater of corn. However, on this special day, may you not forget the beauty of being a part of a Christian family. May you remember the gift of clumping around one another just as corn clumps together on the cob. May you not forget what it means… to be honest with each other even when it means confessing that you do not know what to say to lift each other up in prayer to clump together showing love and support to be covered by the sweet sweet Spirit to praise God

Praise Him in joy. Praise Him in the ordinary. Praise Him in grief. Praise Him in pain. Praise Him in uncertainty. Praise Him for His perfect plan. Praise Him throughout your journey.

Thanks be to God for corn! Today, praise God for those pieces of corn who have been apart of your life, the cob. Ask God to show you how you can clump with others to support someone else’s life (cob). 🙂

PS Don’t forget to add butter!