Sunday Thoughts

Scattered Thoughts from my Big Green Chair

In the last week I’ve spent time in the offices of 4 different doctors, worked on spring cleaning the basement of my 100 year old house, watched my husband work 15 hour days trying to breed cattle, bale hay, or fix machinery, herded my children through long hours of school work that did not get finished during our school year, and kept up the normal schedule of laundry, meals, and housekeeping.

A long time ago I had dreams of becoming a missionary in a far away land. For a while I had hoped to become a lawyer. Other times, I had no idea what it was I wanted to do when I grew up. I know now that teaching is one of the gifts I have—something I love to do. I’ve not only taught English as a Second Language and homeschooled, but have taught many people how to knit, make soap, plant a garden, and knead bread.

When I first married, my husband was an engineer and I, a teacher. By that time my dreams had changed—all I really wanted was the chance to have a family. My husband dreamed about going farming. Both of us believed that we might never have the chance for either of those. We scrimped and saved and purchased our first farm as we jumped through the hoops of infertility testing.

Today we have both a farm and a family. But time has been marching on, and as our lives unfold, we find that we struggle to hold on to our dreams—the children are growing up and someday soon will begin to leave my nest. And the farm—well, the farm is a wonderful place to live, but it is not an easy way to make a living. What our future holds is in God’s hands.

And that, of course, is the one certainty in our future—God’s hands. It is good to look back over our past and remember the faithfulness of The One Who Led Us This Far. I am learning that what He gives us is never less than what we have—in one way or another, He gives more of Himself and raises up in me a person closer to whom He created me to be. I can walk into tomorrow certain that He Who Leads Me will still be there, choosing my path, giving me strength, and teaching me to grow in wisdom.

This afternoon my hubby left the hay field long enough to spend a little time with his parents and brother and sister-in-law. My sister-in-law had made a wonderful meal, and we were able to enjoy the time just being together. It is good to see that a man a long time ago became a father, and the son became a man who, too, became a father. In time, perhaps one of his sons will become a father as well. Each of these men have spent time working the land. It is something each of them has loved—and it is good to pass on what we have learned and loved to our children. It is their heritage.

To my children I wish most of all to pass on the faith in Him Who Is Faithful. If I do this, all else will not matter.

Blessings.