Theology of tomatoes

I've mentioned a few times that we planted a much larger garden this year than we have in the past.  We've had some hits and some misses with what we chose to put in.  Our biggest "hit," by far, has been tomatoes.  The harvest has been abundant.  But, the workers are few.

Last weekend I hurt my back and have been pretty useless when it comes to picking what's ripe and ready.  Himself went out the other day and made it through about three quarters of the Roma plants.  He came in with a heaping bushel basket full of red goodness. 

Since there was no way I was going to stand at the sink peeling 300+ tomatoes, I came up with an easier, and, actually much tastier way, to process them.  I washed them, cut them in half and tossed them in a pan with garlic, onions, EVOO and S&P, then roasted them in the oven for a couple of hours. 

After they cooled at bit, I spun them in a food mill to get rid of the skins and seeds.  As I sat at the kitchen table cranking away, with my back screaming at me, I watched the tomatoes turn into something that looked completely different from what they started. 

The heat of the oven and the pressure of the grinding mill produced a delicious sauce.  When I thought I got all I could out of the tomatoes, I ground a bit more.  What do you know?  Still more sauce.

It got me thinking that making tomato sauce is like the trials we go through in life.  A bit of pressure, whether IF, a lost job, or even a screaming backache, can transform us.  And, just when you think you have nothing more to give, something else happens.  Perhaps it is a broken down car, a sick relative, or an unanticipated expense.  We feel even more crushed. 

But, if we allow God to work through our pain and trials, we just may end up sweet and saucy and transformed into something much better than we otherwise would have been.  I'm certainly praying that's the case.

AMDG