Farming in the shade

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,      and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,      the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,      the Spirit of counsel and might,      the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.  And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. --Isaiah 11:1-3 Save Save Save Save

Therefore  lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees,   and  make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint  but rather be healed.   Strive for peace with everyone, and for the  holiness  without which no one will see the Lord.  --Hebrews 12:12-14 A couple of days ago, a friend emailed me to check for life signs. She keeps up with me in part by reading this blog. And she told me she was getting tired of seeing the same Christmas greetings each time she checked the blog. Okay, Leslie. I get the hint. :) Each year my January is a time for recuperation after a year of blistering busyness. Many days this winter I intended to blog, but the days off stretched into weeks. As time went by, I found I had less and less to say.  It's not so much a funk, as it is just a general tiredness. I feel like I've blogged our life over and over and there isn't much to say that hasn't already been sa...

"But this is gain for a land in every way : a king committed to cultivated fields." --Ecclesiastes 5:9

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me." John 15:1-4

Disclaimer: The sheep in this story has had no long-lasting ill effects. She may have a new appreciation for fences, though. Also, no pictures were taken, due to our intense focus on resolving the situation. A couple of weeks ago we were having issues with our electric fencer. The fencer is a device that sends jolts of electricity through the fence at regular intervals. It is to keep the animals you want to have inside the fence INSIDE, and also to keep the animals you don't want inside the fence OUTSIDE. If you've ever had a tussle with an electric fence, it's a memory that doesn't fade. (Go ahead and share your story in the comment section. It's funny to read other people's stories.) Anyway, for a few days, the fencer would randomly not work. We replaced ground connections buried under ground. We endlessly traipsed around the fence to see if there was a tree or something else causing the fence to short out. Finally we decided that the fencer needed repair,...

You, Lord, are forgiving and good,      abounding in love  to all who call to you. Hear my prayer,  Lord ;      listen to my cry  for mercy. When I am in distress,  I call  to you,      because you answer  me. --Psalm 86:5-7

The people walking in darkness  have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a  light has dawned. -- Isaiah 9:2

Lord , you are my God;      I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness      you have done wonderful things,      things planned  long ago. --Isaiah 25:1

In the day of trouble     He will keep me safe in his dwelling;  He will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent     And set me high upon a rock. --Psalm 27:5 NIV

Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed,  for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  --Lamentations 3:22-23

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High      will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,      my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare      and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers,      and under his wings you will find refuge;      his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night,      nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,      nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side,      ten thousand at your right hand,      but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes      and see the punishment of the wicked. If you make the Most High y...

Our family has been recycle-minded from way back. I was recently telling an acquaintance that my mom dragged us kids and our family's recyclables down to the city back in the 70s WAY before recycling was mainstream. People on both sides of our families were known for "making do or doing without." Part of that stems from them living through the Great Depression (or having parents who did). Some comes from our extremely frugal ethnic heritage. And some comes from the reality that it costs a lot of money to farm. Making do with older equipment and do-it-yourself repair jobs helps keep the expense side of the ledger a little more in balance with the income side. A side effect of frugality is that it keeps stuff out of the landfills. These are two shovels that have seen better days. One shovel head was worn out with much use in the composting process on our farm. The other shovel--the one with a broken handle--was rescued from a dumpster. There is no time right now for little ...

The heavens declare the glory of God; The skies proclaim the work of his hands. --Psalm 19:1 NIV

As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children-- with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. --Psalm 103:15-18

"The Lord will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest." --Psalm 85:12

Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. -- Psalm 73:25-26

"As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease." --Genesis 8:22

When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. --2 Chronicles 7:13-14

The Lord will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest. --Psalm 86: 12