A Farmer’s Life

Let me start by saying that few people on the planet are better people than farmers. I am not saying that because my dad and most of his family are farmers or because I grew up breathing the fresh air on a farm or because I never had better vegetables and fruit than what I grew up eating on the farm. But a good farmer grows much more than he needs as a business to feed people but few know how little he really makes or how few appreciate it. My dad used to say he felt sorry for city folk who think food comes from stores. No, food comes from the love and hard work of a farmer who tilled and planted and babies and waited then harvested that food all for months with a resulting pay that barely kept up his tractors and supplies and a little left over for the taxes on the land if we were lucky. But farmers do it because it is their passion to work the soil, produce food for people, raise cows for milk or beef, raise chickens for eggs and meat, etc. They know how and are good at it. They were in a long line of farmers who shared their knowledge, it is a part of them. They believe in America, the most patriotic people around. They love their families and it all starts and works for and with them. They know and love God because He surrounds them in the nature, talks to them in isolation for days on a tractor, is with them in the fresh air, the soil, gives them rain at the right time, provides for them. Farmers are ingenuitive, keeping things going, rigging things up, getting function where others would give up in tears. Farmers are businessmen, getting the most of every rare dime. Farmers are the strongest people I know in mentally tough ways and physically tough ways. I watched my dad move full oil drums himself, no equipment to help him. Just picked it up and moved it. Farmers should be studied as roll models and industry leaders, though most would never want that kind of glory. They are humble souls, doing what they know are nd loving what they do, resting up for the next thing on the schedule. Farmers a render beautiful people and you need to learn from them and hug them and thank them for the food. I am proud of that aspect of my highly respectable daddy. And I hope to go back someday and work the soil. It is in my blood and lungs, after all.

Romans 12:1-18

Romans: 12. 1. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. 3. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5. so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7. if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8. if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. 9. Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 14. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 17. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

The Denial Dance

There is a dance we do. We dance around the truth, we dumb it down and skew it a bit to soften it’s harshness. We change it just a tad to decrease guilt. We make it sound just a little better to put a positive spin on a bad decision. We cover it up from those who may shed their truth on it or we think may be judging us. We pussy foot around the harsh edges to seem sweeter. We cajole and distract from this truth if folks get too close. Some of this is for our protection but more is for our ego. We want to do bad things but want to hide that we do bad things from other people, assuming they are not doing bad things or at least the same bad things. We dance. It is a weird, would by ugly dance that does not benefit the dancers. I prefer ugly truth, I prefer to be real. I screw up a lot. I do fun, clean things I love to do. I sometimes do some things I should not do. I ask God’s forgiveness for these and move on trying not to do them again. And I love it when people are real like that. You can work with that. You can work with real. Impossible let to fight someone’s powerful ego entrenched with the denial dance. There is no reason there. There is no reality, just a devised fluff. Until denial is decided against and humbleness is deemed in charge, there is no hope of a cure. But once the music is over and denial is rejected as reality and humbleness is allowed to rule, God can step in allowed cure the person. God will not dance with denial. He will bless humility of spirit though and lead a dance that lasts forever full of love.

A Great Lie About Mourning

Most days, I have energy to spare but sometimes I still have waves of missing and am tired. I understand it is part of grief, part of the mourning process when those we loved are no longer with us. But it is a great lie that life cannot continue at great value. It is a lie that we stop here and mope the rest of our days. I believe that does those we lost a great injustice. We celebrate those who are dancing in heaven for they are done with the evil here. We are happy for those no longer in pain or forgetfulness. Yes. But we continue to live our best efforts for God who made us all and put us together for as long as we were granted. And that, my friends, even tired sometimes, is obedient worship. And when we humbly obey and try to the best of our current ability, God loves that and gives us bursts of rest and peace and energy when we need it. He is a good, good Father. And He is truth. We don’t have to be consistently overtaken in grief, that is a great lie. We honor them more and honor God by doing our best and living life as fully and happy and we can. And God helps every step of the way. Praise God!!