Sarah was wondering, so she wondered aloud.
"This body of mine, it has so many parts...so many uses. It goes forward and backwards, up and down. It will fold into a chair or straighten up and walk.
"It gets hungry...sometimes all the time. It gets tired, in the night at about nine.
"It's the greatest little machine that's ever been made, big people say. But why; what's it for?
"Why did the Lord give me this body when something more compact would have kept me together better? Maybe she should have made me into an egg."
Some big people ears were listening next door, so some big people legs walked into Sarah's room. Some big people arms gave her a hug, and that big person's mouth gave some words you might want to hear, too.
"Say, Little One, I know you feel awkward at times," Sarah's mother said.
"But Mom, my legs seem to trip over each other. My arms won't move where my head tells them to go. My mouth won't say words like a-lum-num-mum-mum or per-son-nif-fif-ca-shun-nun. My teeth and nose are too big for my face, and my face too spotted with freckles."
Sarah's other laughed and looked into her daughter's teary blue eyes. "Your body...my body, sometimes they're a pain. But when they're dedicated to God, watch them blossom. She's got all kinds of uses for that body of yours...every little part.
"First of all, imagine your body to be one big fruit bowl."
Sarah jumped up and put a banana on top of her head.
"That's right, a fruit bowl! Beautiful!" Sarah's mother giggled.
"Now, first we baptize it, to wash it sparkling clean. Then it's read for the Holy Spirit to load up with its fruits, like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Call it fruit salad, if you please!"
Sarah's eyes widened as her mother got carried away.
"Now wait...don't eat it, and don't give it away to be eaten. This fruit salad is what makes your body so special. It pumps energy into every part of it. But it will get stale, maybe even moldy and rotten it it's not used.---so use it!"
"You say these fruits can't be eaten, right Mom?"
"Right, Sarah," she answered. "But know what?"
"What?" Sarah's curiosity was ready for anything.
"The Holy Spirit's fruits can be food for others."
"Does that mean sharing, too, Mommy? Sarah spoke up. "Last night I shared my lightning bug collection with Mike. He couldn't catch any."
"Right, Sarah! You did the right thing," Sarah's mother smiled. "I'm so proud of my little fruit salad here. But there's more. Do you have these?
"Like faithfulness, which is when things got bad, you know God's still there. And when others see how much you believe that God cares, they will, too. They will know that God is real because faith is real in you. It will show in your eyes and your words.
"Give away some gentleness. That's treating everyone with care, like each is a delicate crystal chime. Just a tender touch will make beautiful music.
"And last of all, keep some self control for yourself. Learn to say 'no' to your hands when they want to reach for another piece of bubblegum. Keep that body of yours in shape, so it can run better, talk better, sleep better, and be of super service when it hands out fruit of the Spirit.
"Now those are the fruits. can you say the with me?"
Sarah took a deep breath and waited for her mother to start with her. "Let's see...love, joy, peace...uh..."
"Patience, kindness..." her mother added.
"And sharing..." Sarah interrupted.
"Yes, generosity, faithfulness and...can you give me the least two?"
"Uh...let me see," Sarah put her finger to her chin.
Soon she found two arms wrapped around her and a kiss pressed on her hardworking little head.
"O, Mom, that's it, gentleness and self-control," she screamed in delight.
"Great, Sarah...and you'll be a great little fruit bowl, too!" Sarah's mother echoed in delight.
"Just remember, God has given us quite a body...call it a fruit bowl that opens up and serves its fruit...with arms, feet, a mouth, eyes and much more. And as that body of yours grows, the fruit will get better. It will serve more and more fruit that's food for the heart...prepared by God herself.
"Mom," Sarah was serious again. "Did God ever work in a restaurant?"
"He works everywhere in everyone," she answered. "But why do you ask?"
Sarah giggled. "God's fruit salad recipe sure sounds good! I wonder what her egg salad would be like."