One of the coolest things I notice as a shepherd is that sheep respond drastically differently to my call...their level of interest and attachment isn't the same across the board. A particularly special ewe (like Blossom) might see me and come running before I even say a word. At the other end of the spectrum are those who present a bit more of a challenge--it might take violently shaking a bucket of grain and lots of happy screaming "Come 'er, sheep!!" before I even get looked at skeptically. Blossom, a crippleBlossom was born with a birth defect. She had severe deficiency and needed quite a lot of attention before she could walk on her own. We gently bandaged her painful swollen joints and tube fed her until she was strong enough to suck. It was a couple of weeks before she could walk, so we carried her everywhere we went. She wasn't born on our farm, but the bond we created with her from birth was very different from the bond I have with a lamb who is born fully functional and strong. A bomb-proof sheepBlossom is now a very large and happy sheep. Large, because she is always the first one to the afore mentioned pail of grain. Happy because she knows she is special. Bomb-proof means unruffled, unafraid, assertive, and confident when stressful or shocking things happen. Because she knows her place as a cherished and loved member of our family, she knows she doesn't have to worry about anything. She knows this because she has spent countless hours with me. In the same way, a relationship with our Shepherd is empowering. Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (biblehub.com) Blossom is at peaceIt goes without saying that God pursues us with a love so much deeper than I have for Blossom. To be known and loved might be one of the best feelings we can experience as human beings. Whenever I log into social media, I see a crowd of love and acceptance-starved people trying to prove their worth. We may patch our desperate soul through relationship with a spouse, our kids, or friends, perhaps we try to sew it together with fame or success. It's all good, we need each other and doing well in life is awesome, FO SHO. But let me tell you, it will never fully satisfy, because we were created to live in relationship with God, a relationship that is marked by unmerited, never-ending unconditional love without partiality. This is the missing patch in our quilt, and no matter how hard we try, we cannot be that patch for another person. Jesus is someone who isn't looking at our abilities or tracking our accomplishments. He doesn't measure us by our performance or success and is not deciding whether his investment into our lives is paying back enough to make the relationship worthwhile. He doesn't call us his own because we have a pretty face or a striking resume. He just, loves us. John 10:14 I am the good shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me, (biblehub.com) The Shepherd is callingThe offer is on the table, and we all have the choice and opportunity to respond. Matthew 11:28 Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (biblehub.com) Some of us respond to the call like Blossom, because we know our shepherd. In striking contrast, some will respond like my sheep who don't know their shepherd. And dude. It shows. Physically and emotionally. Eyes bulging and muscles tense, ready to flee at the drop of a needle. They live their lives in spookish terror of what might happen next. I can almost see 3000 plans of how to avoid their coming doom fly through their little brains as their hearts begin to pump overtime to support this shocking serge of electric brain activity. It kind of breaks my heart when I have spent countless hours trying to connect, assuring them that I have a plan and that my intentions are for their good. "But hey, if you want to run around like frickin' terrified nutcases instead of coming with me for a greener pasture and a smidgen of grain, ya'll just have fun." (My actual words this week.) lol Well, I may have sacrificed a bit of time and money on those crazy sheep, but Jesus sacrificed himself, even while we wanted ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with him. Romans 5:8 But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (biblehub.com) If that doesn't GET YOU. The King of love my Shepherd isI don't know what you all are going through, but this I do know. His heart is full of kindness and compassion...and he is WAAAYY more patient than I am as a shepherd. Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. (biblehub.com). He is Jehovah Jireh, provider of all our needs. He leads us beside still waters and restores our souls. Just trust him. I know for a fact that relying on Him and resting in his power will renew your joy and give your life purpose, even if it is completely the opposite of what you hoped or dreamed. As a once very broken lamb, I have tasted and seen the goodness of our Shepherd. Blossom's secret to success and satisfaction is a vibrant relationship with her shepherd. Is your faith built on a solid relationship with yours? Are you spending time with Him, and bomb-proofing your life against fear? What do you spend most of your time thinking about, talking about, and worrying about? Are your eyes bulging, or are you standing at the feet of the Shepherd, enjoying his provision and peace?
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Forking out a 1000 lb round bale of hay with a pitchfork every night gives a girl’s mind a lot of time to spin. I do love conversing with the ladies as they pop their heads in and out of the stanchion, trying to snatch a bite before I push the load by. But eventually they run out of things to tell me (or maybe their mouths are too full.) Today I was thinking how nice it is to be here in this leased barn pushing hay, rather than out on the quad in pouring rain and mud pulling a trailer loaded with four square bales for our little group of 10 cows in 2014. Running two old farms and 200+acres is expensive, so we invested what we could spare every year right back into the land and tools to maintain it. Eventually, things have become a bit easier and less physically demanding. The hilarious thing is…I am still here, forking hay with a pitchfork to 50 cows. Have we made progress? Yes. But it's still a huge labor of love, a work in progress. It's worth it. I think. We are first generation farmers. We both came from middle class families with minimal farming and business experience, and we jumped right into running family farms immediately after marriage in 2012. As stubborn first-borns we can “kick some honeybuns” when needed. Lemme tell you right now, small farming is not for the faint of heart, but it's pretty amazing to experience the accomplishment of hard work. There is a lot of interest in small scale farming now, and for good reason. A lot of millennials and gen Z's want to grow things, have food security, and bring back ethical, environmentally sustainable, and regenerative practices into vogue. The right thing is usually not the easy and most quickly profitable way, so having a vision for the future and perseverance is what literally kept our dream alive all these years. Making a Small-Scale farm profitableIf you are like we were and are starting out without a ton of experience or capital to work with, I have happy things to say to your tired heart. We too, have spent many an evening wondering “Why are we doing this!” Is it worth it?!” I’m here to tell you, it IS. But building a small-scale farm from the ground up does not happen overnight (unless you are a millionaire or something.) Here are a few thigs to remember as you strive toward success with your small farm:
Here are a couple things to remember: 1. You don’t have to do it all to be successful, and you may be crippling yourself if you’re doing too much. 2. Self-sufficiency is a sham that keeps you from building awesome relationships. Find out what others in your community have already mastered and build a network. Value other local producers by supporting them in their enterprise. You’ll have more time to market, produce, and research the one or two things that work best for you and your farm, and you'll find a lot of cool people who are skilled and passionate about other things you want in your life but seriously don’t have time to grow (like bacon.)
The best days will be your best, but the hard days are gut wrenching. Some things get easier with time, but some never do. Don’t give up. The world needs more people like you who have soul, conviction, and a love for all of God’s creatures, and in the end, all that you gain is worth anything you lost. Here are a few tips for making sure your girls and guys are in tip-top-shape for baby making.
She earned the name "Chewie" because she looks a bit like a Wookie . Also, she chews on everyone and everything, including unsuspecting visitors. Enjoy this virtual visit--luckily for you--minus the lamb slobber <3 |
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HELLOI'm Lydia. Mom to one wild barefoot fluffy headed toddler, a herd of cows, flock of sheep, a group of too many chickens and a neglected garden that against all odds, survives. Married to a wonderful husband with an equal number of titles and jobs...Dad, bro, (also as in, "bro, get over here gimme a hug") hydro-electric power plant mechanic, volunteer firefighter, fixer of all things with wheels and engines. (Ya, I'm proud of him.) Farm life, family, coffee, and Jesus make my world go round. Archives
August 2023
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