Girl's Work

I wrote this short post last fall for our farm blog ( http://www.faithmtnfarm.com/blog/ )and I thought it worth re-posting on this, my somewhat neglected personal blog.



I have observed that girls, by their nature and talents, usually carry their duties out in the home and surrounding environs, involving themselves in pursuits that are rightly theirs to do. We enjoy this “women’s work” and find great solace in carrying out the duties given us, the duties such as preparing meals, beautifying the home, teaching children, pursing various handicraft skills, shopping for the home, ordering the days, and creating various things.

Most females are not interested in taking part in “Men’s work,” things such as mowing the lawn, building things, operating power equipment, shooting guns, splitting wood,etc.  However, I happen to believe that it is not only beneficial for ladies to learn skills that are normally performed by men, it is very enjoyable. For one thing, I found it makes you appreciate and empathize with the work your brother or father or husband toils through each week.  Another, it is a wonderful change of pace from our usual sphere of work.

This past week I made good on a promise to do a bit of woodsplitting with my brother. Remembering how much I enjoyed splitting wood as a child was one of the motivations for this promise. It proved just as enjoyable as it had been when I was young. We split the logs until our splitter ran out of fuel, then he informed me that now I could pick up what logs I could and place them near the splitter for the next workday. Sullivan then left to do someother thing, and I began scouring for logs I could move. I came upon four gigantic ones, each weighing at least 85 pounds apiece. Thinking I couldn’t possibly move those, I walked on until I spotted the sledgehammer and wedge sitting a few yards away. Immediately I was intrigued. Mimicking what I had seen my brothers do, I placed the wedge in a groove in the wood and started by hammering it gently with the sledgehammer to keep it from falling over and then I started hammering in earnest.  After several hits from the sledgehammer, the wedge really began sinking into the wood. Soon, across the stillness of the field, I heard a crackling sound that was soft at first, but grew into a loud symphony of crackling. Seeing the end was near and breathless with delight at my success, I kept hammering furiously.Then, with a loud THWACK the log split in half and splattered in the mud nearby. I was hooked.  I did the same to the 3 other logs, the last one taking the longest to split since it was a hardwood log. At one point I was so engrossed in my project I hardly even noticed several cars with their drivers ogling me as they rode by. What I sight I must have been! Muddy all over, red faced, wild hair, and wielding a sledgehammer with the determinedness of a madwoman. I did not care in the least, for I was having too much fun! After the logs were all split into a size I could carry, I took them to the splitter one by one. It started to rain as I was carrying the last log, and thus ended my day on the job.

 

It goes both ways. Put a man on laundry duty for a day and expect them to stand in awe for the next week of every shirt that miraculously appears, perfectly folded and pressed, in their drawer. Put a girl on wood splitting duty for the day and she will appreciate each piece of wood put into the fire for warmth. Not only that, but you may have to fight for the possession of that wedge and sledgehammer.

New Website

Well, it's done!
What, you might ask?
Our brand new website!
New, improved and spiffy! Place your orders for Honey and Granola now, and we can ship to anywhere!
Well....
Unless you live in Timbuktu. Even then, we may be able to arrange something. A Camel, perhaps?

Check it out:
www.faithmtnfarm.com

Cheers!
Margaret

Painting with Little Ones

Today when I was helping my younger brothers and sisters paint rocks, (one of their favorite pastimes)  I realized that an old styrofoam egg carton makes a fantastic paint tray! Quick, convenient, and, best of all, disposable. I definitely dislike rinsing out those plastic cartons of the (usually dried!) paint and ruining my nice clean sink. :)

Singles and Valentine's Day-An Exhortation

 I wrote this on the occasion of Valentine's Day 2012.

Ah, Valentine’s Day, we meet again. Hearts in various shades of pink and red brighten the hallmark aisle and cheap boxed chocolates line the aisles of the stores. The jewelry stores are quite busy. Cupid has decided to upgrade to an AK-47 this year and gleefully fires his shots with deadly accuracy and astonishing rapidity.

One might suppose that, being single, my day would somehow be lacking in those elements we consider essential to a “good” Valentine ’s Day, things like receiving flowers, jewelry, or a note from that special someone.

I have found that those pleasantries and niceties, good as they are, are neither essential nor necessary to have a good Valentine ’s Day. You see, I am a Christian. I happen to believe that there is a person who loves me above and beyond much more than anyone on this earth will ever come close to. Not love in the sense we sometimes use it; casually, almost degrading the word by how often and nonchalantly we use it (i.e. I love that new dress! It is sooo cute! I loved that chocolate! )  Yes, how did you guess those were direct quotations from my own life?

You see, God loves us. He loves us, not as we claim to love that new dress that will soon lose its appeal, or the chocolate that will soon be gone, but LOVES us, truly, completely, even when we don’t return it or push it out of the way with disgust  like a love note from someone we don’t esteem.  It even says in Zephaniah 3:17 “The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” It says He will quiet me with His love. In another translation it reads that He will “quiet ALL our fears” with his love. Better and better!  That doesn’t leave any room for our voices or minds clamoring for something more! God, help us to fully realize this great love!

Those of us who think that we must, at all costs, have a husband or wife to make us “complete” are deceived. Scripture does make it quite clear that we are already complete in Him! 2 Peter 1:3 declares that “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence…”  That sounds pretty clear to me! How about Colossians 2:10? “And you are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.”
Speaking to my brothers and sisters in Christ who are single, how can we, who profess to believe God created this world and everything in it and that He sent His son to suffer and die for our wrongs, fail to trust and believe God in this matter of finding someone to spend the rest of our lives with? Do we think he would have any trouble whatsoever orchestrating a love story that not only provides us with a husband or wife, but glorifies and exalts his name through it all? Of course he wouldn’t. His timing is perfect. He wants what is best for us!

Is this collection of rambles somehow a rant against those married or in a relationship? Absolutely not! All of us believers, regardless of our age or marital status, should seek to develop a deeper relationship with God and to believe fully in His great love for us.

So, speaking to singles again, this Valentine’s Day, or ANY day when you are tempted to throw a pity party for one and feel “less-than” or that you are “missing out” because you are not currently in a relationship, as a Christian, don’t forget that you ARE in a relationship, whether you realize it or not, of the most meaningful kind. Make it count. Build it strong.

One last thing: let God be the author of your love story. Don’t vie for being the co-author or editor. Give it all over to Him. Let him write it all. If you flip through the bible, you’ll quickly see- He’s the best author and storyteller of all time.