Newspapers & Honeysuckle

Normally we stop in our driveway to pick up our weekly newspaper delivery (5 subscriptions of the newspaper to be exact) on Sundays driving back from morning services. And typically the designated "picker-upper" (surely that's a word, right?) is our oldest, Corban. But today, I believe (yes, I already forgot by the time I started typing up this post!) that Chloe picked up the bundle of papers this time.

Corban really wanted to stop and get a "honeysuckle snack" (that's what he calls it), so while Chloe was hoisting the heavy load of newspapers into the van, Corban was picking honeysuckle along the front of the property.

"banks of sweet-scented herbs" (Song of Solomon 5:13)

Then Corban and Chloe walked/ran down the driveway while daddy hauled the trash can back from yesterday's trash pick up and the little kids and I drove back in the van.

When Corban got to the house, he sat down at the table with his snack and patiently pulled out all of the little inner stems in order to get the tiny sweet, refreshing drops of liquid out of each one.

His little snack seemed to have hit the spot for him. Not very filling, I'm sure, but that didn't matter to him. He just wanted to enjoy his little wild grown snack that he got to pick and eat, and that's all that mattered at that moment in time. "And God said, "See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food." (Genesis 1:29)

After he was done, get this ... he actually picked up his own mess!!

Corban loves picking and eating honeysuckle. Or as a friend of mine discovered a new word for it ... "honeysuckling". And the word was used in a sentence as a response to "Where's Corban?" "Oh, he's over there honeysuckling." (haha)

Also, I did not know all this until now ...

HONEYSUCKLE
(facts via LocalHarvest)

- is a natural antibiotic
- can help release poisons from the body
- can be used as a syrup or infused as a hot tea that can be used as an expectorant for bad coughs and asthma
- it can be used to reduce fever
- it also reduces ulcers, sore throat, and skin infections
- when used as a poutlice, it can be useful in reducing rashes from skin disease and poison oak
- it can help clear the lungs and strengthens general health

Wow! Next time Corban goes to get another "honeysuckle snack" I may have to request for him to bring some back for me, too! "Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees ... their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine." (Ezekiel 47:12)