The crop is finally going into some dry land, and summer is in the air with sun and wind and heat and bugs... It has been the most challanging/worst spring that anyone around here can remember, and there are prayers with some uncertainty as to whether the crop will be as good as we hope and pray with such a late start even getting planted. Time and Mother Nature and many prayers day and night will all factor into how this all comes out this fall. But it is now in the record books as a spring of all springs, and no more of them thank you very much!
In all the family life experiences we are in the midst of... there is always the parts of farm life that are also going on with each day. Maria and her kids were able to have many experiences that Maria now seems to appreciate and want to have her kids out there seeing the cows or riding in the tractor as the crop goes in. The kids really appreciate their lives here and want to share it with their kids. They see that it is a good life and a wonderful place to raise a family and teach them about the world that God created and how we are to care for it in order to feed the world.
Sitting under a tree - counting cows - how many kids get to say that they did that after lunch on a summer day? Cows have always been a part of our farming experience. We started with dairy cows when we were first married, and I would go over and help Pat along with the kids, no matter how small they were. Then we got into the dairy buy out and Pat continued to want that cow/calf part of farming, so then he started his herd of cows that he calves out every year and puts out on pastures in the summer - we are in the midst of doing that now. So beef and dairy have always been a part of our farming lives. And farming is definitely not an occupation - it is a way of LIFE! We are planted here... just as a tree is or the crop is.
One of last year's fair calves came up close to check me out the other day...it is probably Banana. The story behind her name...John asked Mary what they should name it and suggested that it be a "B" name as her mother was Bertha.."Like Blue of Banana;" he said, and Mary immediately yelled out - "Banana!" It is cute coming from her, and it stuck.
Now a days in these huge tractors - there is a seat next to the driver with a seat belt just for those little ones that want to do a few rounds with daddy. The two 3 year olds - Davey will be 3 next month- wanted to join Paul in the big red tractor, and he was willing to take them for a bumpy spin back and forth.
Morning prayer today is a familiar theme to me and to our family and to every family..."Rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed you may also rejoice exultantly." I Pt 4:13 I do see that suffering brings us closer to Christ as we turn to him in our hurt and weakness, but I have not really given much thought to the fact that as Christians,"what is most important is that we live the life of Christ himself in whatever our own circumstances may be." 
Jesus, we are a big mixture of all that fills our days,our farm our family our faith all mix together to form the fabric of our lives... Our faith is what weaves throughout every moment of every day and gives us the strength to withstand all the hurts and hostility and sufferings that come to us as we pass through our Christian journey to the Cross and beyond to sainthood and eternal life! As my son in law, Joseph, reminds us..."We are called to be saints." That fills you with the conviction to make the most of your life and of all that comes to us. Just as we promise at the Baptism of our chidren to raise lights for the world - we must take this very seriously and bring our faith to life within our homes - our domestic Church! Jesus, we know that you are within us to help us and guide us and to give us the strength to love and follow you and to embrace our "Most Cherished Cross" the tree of LIFE! Jesus, we trust in you! Amen and Halleluia!
Bless-bless, Barb the humble and fervent
"We even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us." Romans 5: 3-5 That just about covers it! Thank you Lord for raising us up by our boot straps, and giving us the ability to face and conquer all that comes to us in the form of arrows aimed at our hearts...
No comments:
Post a Comment