Enjoying the Lord and the Farm

While I was away in Kentucky visiting my mother, I really missed the farm. I missed hearing the cows soft mooing reminding the owners that grain is in order. I missed hearing the rooster sing his song early in the morning. I missed the soft bleating sounds of the sheep when they see one of us carry a bucket. I love this life that the Lord has so graciously blessed me with, and I am so thankful for the days spent here.

In the craziness of our life, I find that the farm provides a serene peaceful place that facilitates time with the Lord as well as one another. As I throw hay to animals, I am reminded of the fact that God loves and cares for me. Often times as I am standing outside doing mundane farm chores, I come to realize that my Father's fingerprints are everywhere. As I look at the mountains, I see His handiwork. I stand in awe not at what He has created, but at who He is.


I want to express my love for Him, but how? Is it through singing a song or is it through a prayer?I believe it starts with a heart turned towards Him...a heart full of thanksgiving and adoration. A song may be in order, but that isn't the only way to worship the Father. A prayer may need to be vocalized, but that isn't the end. For me it is a lifestyle...a choice....I choose to worship Him while throwing hay to hungry animals or making a pot of beans for my family. I choose to worship him while doing the mundane things of life... the cleaning of bathrooms or the washing of clothes. I don't practice His presence, but I cultivate His presence. Actually I don't cultivate His presence ...He is always there...instead I cultivate myself to be aware of His presence. I am still working on the ground of my heart. Some days I am acutely aware of His presence. Other days I find that my day is half over and I have forgotten to mutter much of anything to Him at all. I am still tilling this ground, but I know that the Holy Spirit is at work in my heart. I may not get it all right every day, but after all I am a work in progress. I am thankful for the grace to grow and the mercy to try again upon each of my failures. Enjoy the journey...

grace and peace,
julie