The wilderness is a most unpleasant place to be, and sweet lessons are few and far between. Unfortunately, the journey with God is dirty, difficult, and painful as He removes our ‘self’ nature. Some places we journeyed through were scary, hard, cold and bitter. We cannot hide the truth, for if we follow God into the wilderness, these are the trials we patiently endure. The wilderness, however, is not painful all the time. One time we experienced a sweet lesson in faith in the rottenest of places.
Setting the stage
In July 2017, after we finished our book and left our basement suite. God didn’t open a door for a home, which led to our family being homeless again. A surprise we neither expected nor wanted, but we adjusted to the new reality. Some of our belongings went into storage while we wandered about Kingston; sleeping outside in a tent. This was difficult but no more problematic than camping would be. We found a sports area with showers and had a little money for food. Physically, we managed but emotionally we were a mess. Our family struggled to understand why God made our lives difficult again after the comfort of being inside for 2 years.
The stage is set
In late July our money disappeared, and we were despairing. Wanting to escape Kingston, yet not wanting to lose all our belongings to the storage company, we took drastic action. Early one morning we retrieved our goods and drove out of town to an uninhabited location. The only spot available was an area of brush, trees and swamp where people dumped their junk. There was one redeeming quality of this place and that was the privacy; free from staring eyes. One of the worst parts of being homeless is how people stare at you. We hated that. I left behind Wanda, Ida and Fanny along with Milo and Lennie-girl, to drive back and retrieve the rest of our belongings. God was setting the stage for a sweet lesson in faith.
A sweet lesson in faith can happen anywhere
The waiting
began. Kingston was a dead end. After 2 years we had enough and wanted to leave but saw no lead from God. We were stuck. The sun rose higher with relentless fury. Only a little shade from the trees countered the fierce heat. The shade lessened and everyone roasted. Our water was soon depleted. As the day brightened, our mood grew darker. Wanda sat in the air-conditioned car, while Fanny, Ida and myself explored. We had no food and eating was a luxury we could not afford. Then Fanny and Ida found onions growing nearby. The onions didn’t taste very good though, and eating them raw was not possible.
Undisturbed, Fanny determined to do something with the vegetables. With a little pan, a lighter, and some sugar, Fanny and Ida took off to experiment. Wanda and I stayed with our belongings and baked under the intense sun. Our spirits were sinking into the mire of depression, like the garbage sunk into the surrounding mud. As we sat in our misery, Ida came up to us with an aluminum plate with another plate on top. She uncovered the plate, and we saw the most wonderful smelling caramelized onions. The smell was excellent, but the taste was beyond description. An incredible a dish you would find in a five-star restaurant. The juxtaposition between our surroundings and the delectable treat of caramelized onions blew our minds..
What sweet lessons and wonderful treats God gives us amid the misery.
Making lemonade
You may have heard the phrase, “if life gives you lemons, make lemonade”. In our case it was not lemons, but onions. God orchestrated events to bring us to a point of desperation in that dump. A typical wilderness experience. Jesus knows it is in those desperate hours when we make life-changing decisions. These are the moments He is calling us to give up ‘self’ and gain more of Him; and He is the sweetest gift of all. In our case, however, God was also bringing about a change in our circumstances that would have a profound effect on our future.
Through the suffering, God let us know that He was still with us. That whole day opened up a new chapter with God and others; the fruit of which you are reading now.
All this would not have been possible except for “the caramelized onion day”.
Lessons in faith are no accident
The sweetness of the caramelized onions was no accident. God worked through several events to bring about His blessing.
- First, these onions weren’t native to our area. Some discarded onions must have taken root.
- Second, only when we explored did we find the onions and recognize they were edible.
- Third, Fanny needed the ingenuity and materials to cook these delectable treats.
- Fourth, Fanny also required patient endurance to build a fire and sit in the sun as the onions cooked.
These things worked together before we could eat the goodness God had prepared in advance. Romans 8:28.
A sweet lesson in faith is valuable
In the wilderness there is a temptation to think God will just bring the comfort and help we need with no participation from us. Don’t be deceived. The wilderness teaches us to lean our entire being on Him through our trials. Actively watching for His lead and obeying promptly is our duty. We work with God to bring about the sweetness that He longs to give us. Jesus’ Bride is not ‘self’ willed and demanding, but a co-laborer with Him. His intimacy with her is about the intricate dance of trial and difficulty where the Bride and Jesus overcome together. Our sweet lesson in faith grows in suffering.
The joy of the Bride is to know Him in the darkest of valleys. This is the primary lesson of the caramelized onions.
The heat, misery and suffering of that July day are difficult to forget, but God wiped away the pain through those sweet caramelized onions. A sweet lesson in faith we will never forget. God reached out and showed that He redeems the pain. Jesus heals the broken heart and will not leave those that lean on Him for their everything. This is the message of comfort we offer to you today. No matter where you are in the journey, or even if you have not begun, He is with you.
Blessings,
Homer and Wanda
I Praise our God, Homer & family, that you clung to His provision, not only of nourishment, but also His provision of hope and comfort in the midst of such hardship!
Thank you Colleen. This particular episode bouyed our faith that I cannot even begin to describe. Our Lord is so good to us in the midst of our trials. My only desire would be that others know the God we serve and how loving He is. We serve a magnificent Jesus!
Blessings to you dear sister!
I am confident that this blog is serving Him in exactly that way. To share, teach, encourage, exhort any and all who read. And to proclaim His faithfulness and power. I will join with you in prayer for God’s hand upon you as you share and and his hand upon the hearts of each that read.
Lord, do mighty things beyond what we can imagine, for Your Name’s sake and Your Kingdom.
Amen Colleen. Thank you dear sister from both of us and all who serve our Living Lord. Blessings.
Amazing GOD. Amazing story. You have a lot of “life experiences” that we all can learn from that can help teach us all to be more grateful.
Jesus truly is Amazing. I totally agree. Yes, He has given us a lot to chew on and I am grateful for his patience as we are not the quickest learners. 🙂 Thank you for the comment Shellie. May you find your “caramelized onions” in Him today! 🙂
Blessings and love,
Homer and Wanda