Lately I have days that I work until 2-3 am. I hit the bed hardly able to walk (literally). These are usually days that either I have over-committed myself or something has happened that day that puts me way behind.

All of my married life I have had some sort of home industry going on. Cakes and catering for family and friends has been great. I’ve quilted, I’ve done in-home day care, established and directed a church kindergarten, cleaned houses, started this website, written e-books, produced videos… the list goes on. Different seasons of life allowed for different avenues. The main thing was I always wanted my kids with me.

I’ve done these things partly out of necessity, but mostly because it’s a part of who I am. Even if we didn’t have occasional money struggles , I’d still be busy with my hands. It has been God’s mercy to us that we have struggled. I’m afraid I’d become arrogant and lazy if I had an ‘easier’ life.

Scripture commands us to be working. We were created to work. Not all positions of work are for monetary gain or notoriety. None the less, we all have a purpose, a calling… work to do.

In the past couple of years my life has changed so much, especially the last year! Even though I know I am in the second half of life as I turn 50 this year I feel like I am full steam ahead. I see no slowing down. I actually look back at my younger years and see how wasteful I have been with my time.

While these changes are happening it means I have little time for social outings and time to be on the phone is scarce. And as you probably have noticed blogging happens even less. I have LOTS I want to say, just no time to sit and type it. 😉

Lord willing we will be building on to our house this summer, which is part of a bigger plan! It will be a licensed kitchen that we will be able to cater from. Hopefully this will become more of our family’s main income. We want something we can all do together. I want something Jeff will not have to break his back with every day like he does now with construction… he’s getting older ya know. 😉 We want our children and grandchildren to have real life marketable skills to go along with their academics.

 

I love this picture.

And all of the other pieces by Julien Dupre.

Now… I do not ever…EVER want to have to work in the grain field. I am a wimp when it comes to that.

But I do have this print hanging in my kitchen. On those days when I start to feel sorry for myself because I am tired and stressed, I look at this picture. I remember I have my hand to the plow, I am being faithful to my calling as a virtuous wife. I am keeping my home, teaching my children and being that helper to my husband. I don’t always do it well, nor with grace, but I am working on it, while the Father works in me. I also look at this picture and THANK GOD I don’t have to work in a field, in the heat, in the grain…

My grandmother was a dairy farmer. The old saying, “you gotta make hay while the sun shines” is so true. I bet my grandparents… and their children went to bed many a summer nights with their backs aching. I have never, EVER heard my grandmother complain about her work! She just kept her hand to the plow… and I have my hand to the spatula.

We are all busy getting ready for the build on. First we had to uproot Olivia’s herb garden.

We are working on kitchen drawings, permits, meeting with our town council, health inspector, researching equipment, developing a business plan and all the legalities. There is just so much… so much to keep this plow moving forward.

But the really cool thing is we are plowing TOGETHER! Jeff is strong, and steady, he keeps my feet in the ground. Olivia has a great business head on her shoulders and is doing a lot of the leg work concerning legalities and marketing. I’m more the creative end. It takes all of us. Our younger kids have their part too, and our adult kids chime in with their opinions and have even rolled up their sleeves to help.

The other day we got a GREAT deal on strawberries. The girls cleaned them, Cherished blended, measured and packed them for the freezer. They put up enough for 22 cakes… and they LOVED it! They felt important. They are a very much needed part of this team.

Peach loved labeling the packages.

And EVERYONE washes dishes! Jeff has even been up at midnight up to his elbows in suds!

All that to say, life is full. There is no time for boredom, no time for self-pity or envy, no time for drama.

I hope that at the end of life Jesus will meet me and say. “Well done good and faithful servant, you kept your hand to the plow.”

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