You Don't Have to Can to Get to Heaven

Hallelujah for that!!!

But...

It is that time of year and with an abundance of yummy produce...

I CAN because I CAN!

But... I must confess it is NOT and has never been one of my favorite things to do. I would personally rather just eat it fresh (or freeze it) or buy it already canned from the store. What!!! Blasphemy I know! Especially when married to the Jolly Green Giant! Not only do I say that because he has an incredible green thumb, but he is rather large too. He LOVES to garden and is so good at it that I don't even have to get my brown thumb any browner. Good thing too, because I HATE to garden! Probably because I am always so paranoid some beastly bug or slithering snake is going to pop out at me as soon as I get my hands into the dirt. Which for some reason, whenever I DO get down and dirty...I am always the one that finds the creepy things! No one else ever does. Just me! But when it comes to trimming the bushes...I am the pro around here. As long as I have a long pair of clippers that keep me far away from touching anything that might have a bug or snake attached to it...I do great!

Back to the canning...

When we first got married I would go over and can what seemed like millions and millions of peaches with Dave's mom and sisters. I actually enjoyed doing it then. That was because we had lots of fun in the process. Then when we moved further away, Dave would always go pick the peaches and we would can them for what seemed like days at our own place. Not fun. I guess part of the problem is I don't like canned peaches. Not even a little. They are way too mushy for me. I do however LOVE fresh peaches or frozen ones. But since my boys really do like them, we can them every year. It was also a great way to save money on the grocery bill when we were dirt poor... (pun INTENDED!)

Even still, I was never happy or excited to do it. I really hate the mess it makes and the time it takes. And it always seemed to need to be done at the worst and busiest time. If it wasn't for Dave and him taking the initiative, I don't think it would happen. I do have to say that I actually don't mind canning tomatoes or salsa. For some reason that is much more fun to me. Maybe because I actually like to eat that stuff. Or maybe because there is no fuzz to make me itch for two days after.

Now I do have to say that NOT liking to can does produce some guilt. I come from pioneer stock and it is just expected that I would not even consider the thought of NOT canning or complaining that it has to be done. But in my defense, I STILL do it... (can, not complain...well a little of that too!) albeit sometimes only because Dave and the boys have picked bushels full of the stuff and it would be a major sin to let it rot ~ not to mention the fact that I would feel even more guilty letting Dave do it alone without my help (which he has done before when I was away.)

Much of this guilt however, immediately lifted the first time I heard a song written by one of my dearest friends Cecelia Benson. The name of the song is "You Don't Have to Can to Get to Heaven". The first time I heard her sing it, I wanted to stand up and shout, "Hallelujah brother!" and "Amen sister!" Yes, oh yes, this song spoke to me. I had finally been validated by another woman of pioneer stock that felt the same way I did! Bless you Cecelia! Pioneer stock women everywhere bless you! Do you think they let you in heaven if you DO can but still hate it? I can always hope...

Here are some of the FRUITS of Dave's and the boy's labors...

Canning is always a family affair... McKay is even making it fun!

Taylor getting in on the "fun" too...

Bryce complete with his Ipod (and shirtless...ugh) He was also texting the whole time when his other hand was free. But...whatever it takes to get his help! lol

The Jolly Green Giant and Mrs. Brown Thumb Oh yes, I am having a joyous time!!!

McKay decided to give himself a break and become the photographer (getting his bros a little ticked in the process for taking a break!)

He took lots of candid shots....

We did TWO bushels and got 56 quarts!

And....

Here's the SALSA we did the week before...

Every bit of the produce was from our garden...

Don't you wish you could take a whiff????

We got 25 pints with this first round...

Mmm....Mmm...Mmm!!!

Here are the lyrics to Cecelia's song...

You Don't Have To Can To Get To Heaven
Words and music by Cecelia J. Benson

There are cobwebs in the corner, jelly on the floor. My laundry hasn't been caught up since 1984.....
Next door I have a neighbor who cans peaches by the ton,
She made her children's playclothes, she says her laundry's done...

I used to let it bother me, I searched "The Good Book" o'er,

My research is conclusive, I never knew before....
You don't have to can to get to Heaven,

Goodness can't be measured in a jar...

You don't have to sing or sew or wax your garden hose,

You'll make it. Be the best of who you are.

I should be washing windows, I'd rather write a song,
I'd rather hold a child's hand, it won't be little long...
We've got to stop comparing, don't fill your mind with doubt,
Do the things that matter most, do the things that count....

I used to let it bother me, I searched "The Good Book" o'er
My research is conclusive, I never knew before....
You don't have to can to get to Heaven,
Goodness can't be measured in a jar...
You don't have to sing or sew or wax your garden hose,
You'll make it. Be the best of who you are.

You don't have to can to get to Heaven.
You'll make it, be the best of who you are!


To order the music go HERE

ON THE SIDE: I really wanted to post a photo of Cecelia and this is the only one I found. This is me and Cecelia (far right) at the National Conference for Families that American Mother's Inc. put on. We served on the state board together as well as on the planning committee. Cecelia was responsible for making this amazing conference happen for the second time. She is truly one of the most talented and incredible woman I have ever been blessed to know. This photo was taken in 2006 on the stage while we were waitng for the meeting to start at the LDS Conference Center. Jane Clayson, Stephen R. Covey, and Marla Cilley (aka The Flylady) were our keynote speakers that year. The woman on the far left was the National Young Mother of the Year for 2006, Connell Branan.

This was her vision and she made it happen not once, but TWICE! The first year she got Steve Young to MC.

She has three talented daughters that just produced a CD in Nashville with the FLYLADY and they will be performing in Logan on Oct. 11th at our American Mother's Mini Conference. The details for that are right here:


You will have to click on it to enlarge so you can read it.

It is going to be fabulous! So mark your calenders NOW!!!

Have a PEACHY day!!!