Like a Beehive (03/21/2025)

Yesterday was our women’s group’s free community soup supper. We worked on it for weeks. Yesterday was intense, getting everything set up and ready, getting all the soups made and all the bread and crackers out on the tables. After serving the guests, the onerous task of cleaning up came. And throughout every phase, the volunteers were there, working with love and cheerful spirits, side by side, getting it done and done well. And I thought of the beehives of my youth and smiled. Yep! It was like being part of a blessed beehive.

The women volunteered to bring dessert. We had so many we had to get an additional table for them. The women and one male parishioner volunteered to make the soups. They brought in huge amounts of soups. Two men from the parish volunteered to help us with the dishes and they ran the dishwasher for us. And then there were so many women who came to just help, doing whatever needed to be done. Like I said, it was like watching a human beehive – everyone doing their part – everyone joyful. There wasn’t a single frown in the crowd.

As a child, I grew up around bees. My father ran plants where they processed Sue Bee Honey. While most of my experiences were around the plant, there were times we went out with Dad and met the beekeepers and discovered the wonders of how it all came to be. And I will always remember Dad’s explanation of how every member of the colony had a role. Every one of them did what they were called to do, made to do, did it well. No moping bees around the hive. They all just hummed along. And I remember thinking at the time what a wonderful world it would be if the whole world ran like a beehive.

Last night, I recalled those childhood memories, my dream of a “beehive world,” and my appreciation for seeing it occur even if it was on a small scale. I found myself at the end of the day on my porch in gratitude. I thanked the LORD for the many volunteers and for the “beehive” I’d been blessed to be part of that day. I prayed to the LORD that we as a world would be more like a beehive more frequently.

We all have eyes to see what needs to be done. We all have time given to us (we don’t make it, it is a gift). And we all have abilities suited for the betterment of the moment, of others, of the world. As we continue our journeys of faith, hope and love, may we assume the attitude of those happy and dedicated bees who do what they were created to do day in and day out joyfully.

Until tomorrow, may we all love well.