Farmer Fridays - We are truly blessed

As we celebrated Earth Day today, I was reminded that truly every day for a farmer is earth day.  As farmers, we are true stewards of the land and it is our job to make sure it is around for future generations.  Additionally as livestock producers, our family's other top priority in addition to taking care of the land is the care of our livestock as they are our family's livelihood. 

"Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees."
Revelations 7:3

As farmers we are also constantly reminded that God is in control of our lives. Farming requires a lot of faith as we are at the mercy of the weather in order to raise our crops.  As we approach the end of April, The Farmer and his dad are starting to get quite antsy.  The rainy weather we have been experiencing the last few weeks have kept them out of the fields and planting season has yet to begin.  This is just another reminder that we must have faith and patience as God is in charge and what a great day today was to reflect on this.

"There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens.  A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.  A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build.  A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.  A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them; a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.  A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away.  A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to be silent, and a time to speak.  A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace."
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

When life hands you lemons

I really try to think of myself as an optimistic, upbeat, glass half-full kind of person.  I remember once reading the quote, "Attitude is the reflection of the inner you."  I truly believe this and have always tried to make lemonade when life hands me lemons. 

Well professionally, life has been handing me a lot of lemons lately which results in a tad more lemonade than I would prefer.  (Don't worry, I still have a job, just a lot of changes and then more changes on top of that.) Any way, these "lemons" have made me more than ready to bring on 2011 as I hope they will quit heading my direction in the new year. 

Although the lemons have been plentiful professionally in the last few months, thankfully, I still have my faith, family, friends, and health which is truthfully all I need and for a bonus, my kitchen table is still clean. 

Faith, Hope, and Love are required at this pig pen

This past weekend, I traveled to Fort Worth, Texas to spend the weekend with 4 of my college sorority sisters (Tequila, Tutti Fruity, Miller, and The Captain) and great friends till this day.  (If you remember, I have decided to give all of my non-blogging friends the names of beverages that make me think of them for some reason.  I will leave the reasoning for this set of names to your imagination.)  

Tutti Fruity, Miller, The Captain, Me, and Tequila - July 2010

We graduated from college 11 years ago and have tried to get together every year since graduation in some way.  Some years it has been a Purdue University football game and other years it has been a trip to Florida.  This year we decided to travel to Texas to visit The Captain as she became a first time mother to twin boys earlier this year and this would give us all the chance to meet the boys.  

Although our lives have changed over the past 11 years, the one thing that remains constant is that we are are still there for each other and always will be.  

Later this week, Thursday to be exact, my husband, The Farmer, and I will celebrate our 10 year anniversary.  At times it seems way longer than 10 years and at other times it seems like just yesterday that I made the best decision of my life in marrying The Farmer.  It has been quite a journey over the last ten years and I can only wait to see what the future holds.  

The Farmer and Me in Seattle - January 2010

Both of these events were all put into perspective for me this weekend as we suddenly lost an amazing friend, mother, wife, and woman in our community.  Earlier in the week our friend was celebrating her 49th birthday and now we are preparing to celebrate her life. 

We don't know what God has planned for any of us, but more than ever, the events of the past few days have reminded me to not take anything for granted and to always take the time to tell the ones we love that we love them as we don't know what tomorrow or our next moment holds.

Big Sissy, Bubby, and Little Sissy - April 2009

Ultimately it all comes back to having faith, hope, and love and thanks to this, on a happier note, my good friend Meggie, The Hoosier Farm Babe, will welcome her baby girl into the world any day now. 

Faith, hope, love, but the greatest of these is love.  

1 Corinthians 13:13