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Welcoming Words Newsletter    July 2025

By Debbie Sorensen

Well hello there. The good news for today is, we can have a good time giving people the raspberries.

This year my raspberry patch has provided a bumper crop of fruit. I’ve frozen raspberries, made jam and shared the excess. When the old phrase, “Give them the raspberries,” came to mind, I recalled it wasn’t a compliment. I decided to see what explanation there was for such a saying.

Unusual information on raspberries surfaced from long ago merry olde England. 

The jargon of traders in the London horse markets, provided an interesting description. Various word usage denoted a rude lip and tongue sound, an expression of contempt, or an irritating squashy, cheek noise. 

The idea of making a derogatory remark, applied to how I would have heard the phrase. I wondered if I could make use of the excess fruit in an encouraging way instead. When I opened my refrigerator door, many containers filled with the plump red berries, lined the shelves.

 On that Saturday night, I began to ponder how I might distribute those treats to others. My first activity the next day was Adult Sunday School. 

With a good number of people who usually attended,  I realized, my berry challenge could be solved.

In the morning, I loaded containers of raspberries into the car and headed for church and our classroom. I was the first person to arrive and prepared for fruit distribution. As the class members filed into the room, I asked each person or couple, if they were interested in what I had to offer. The response and answers were enthusiastic.

Most of the folks around the table were familiar with the negative aspect of ‘giving the raspberries,’ in words or gestures. Therefore, we established these would be berries of goodwill and not statements of contempt.

Here are a few responses from giving them the raspberries.

One man gleefully shared that his wife loved raspberries. With no patch of her own, she drove the alleys around their place and scrounged for berries that hung over the fences. We all had a good chuckle when he mentioned he wouldn’t have to cruise the alleys for his raspberries. He would share the raspberries with her.

A discouraged woman stated how she had been called an abuser at her work place because of her faith and stand for Biblical truth. Many folks had tears in their eyes as she gently took a container of raspberries. Her face was transformed as she looked down at the gift of the raspberries.

The next recipient had been a missionary in a third world country. Her eyes reflected a previous time in her life, when something as simple as fresh berries were not possible for her. The class paused for reflection. Soon, comments of thanksgiving and praise for God’s goodness and provision flowed back and forth over the table. 

“The candy man,” (so named because he brings a bag of candy to share each Sunday with children of all ages), had a look of shock on his face when he was offered some berries.

“Really? You would give these to me?”  What a delight to share a surprise to begin his day. He couldn’t resist adding more thanks at the end of the service as well. 

 My goodness, what a difference a fresh application of words can make in our lives. 

Consider “giving the raspberries” to another person to brighten their day and lighten their load.

Fill in your blank with what you have available to encourage others with. 

Give somebody the raspberries, a phone call, jelly beans, a joke, a listening ear ____________.

Proverbs: 3:3a 

            “Do not let kindness and truth leave you.”

Contact:  Debbie Sorensen at [email protected]