Farming is a dichotomy. There are days of joy and days of frustration. There are moments of intense beauty and moments of intense difficulty. There are days of exhaustion and days of exhilaration. The animals bring joy and the animals bring sadness. The flowers grow and the flowers die. “The grass withers and the flowers fall…..” (Isaiah 40:8) None of this should be a surprise, yet it always seems to catch me off guard. It is the way things are designed. Nothing on this earth thrives without hard work and without a cost of some sort.

The Outdoorsman and I entered this grand adventure of farming on Green Acres nine years ago next month. We moved here on a cold December day only five days before Christmas with hope in our hearts and a sparkle in our eyes. The first four or five years were a total dream. We were building our pens and gathering up our adorable animals. It was all very fun and exciting.

Five years in, the weather in Central Texas took a drastic change for the worse. We experienced four continuous years of drought along with several historic snow and ice events. It was brutal for us and for all farmers in Central Texas. We lost all of our grass, many of our trees, and along with that, many of our animals. It was not uncommon for even the most seasoned farmers to struggle with the changes as well, but it was still extremely hard for novice farmers like The Outdoorsman and I to navigate life on the farm during those challenging, new weather patterns.

This year, we have had yet more changes in our family that have caused some difficulties due to lack of time. It has been hard to adjust to some health concerns and a big job change that both cause things to be more difficult for us here on the farm. We have far less time and less physical ability to complete the tasks at hand.

With all of that said, we are just not ready to give up on our dream to retire on the farm. The Outdoorsman is only 8-10 years away from retirement and we know that we own a really special piece of land with gorgeous ponds, a ravine, and woods. Green Acres is also really close to several large cities and a big airport. We know it is difficult to find a farm with those conveniences only an hour away. We know that other people may not understand our determination to make this work, but we really do have a dream to have our children and grandchildren out here fishing and exploring our land in the years to come.

One thing God is teaching me right now: Learn to let things go. Learn to let beloved animals go to new farms. Learn to let the dirt and dust just sit for a while because, it will inevitably be back since the farm is a veritable dustbowl outside! Let myself sit and relax and do nothing at times. Take time out of each day to restore my mental and physical energy levels before starting something new. Let the control of my life go at times. I have noticed lately that a lot of people I know struggle with letting go of control. We all hold onto life and people and animals and things with a death like grip even though none of that will mean a thing at the end of our lives. No one I know has been buried in a tomb with their belongings like the Egyptian Pharoahs of old. No one will take one single item or animal or belonging with them when they die. Only people and relationships and memories made with others will matter at the end of our lives. I am newly determined for that to be my main focus. The people. The relationships. The memories.

Another important lesson that God is teaching me right now: Embrace the hard things. Embrace the heat. Embrance the sweat. Embrace the cold. Embrace the moments of frustration. They are all going to happen whether or not I embrace them, so I may as well make the most of each moment. Just go ahead and plan to sweat so much that I have to take two showers a day from May-October (this “embrace” is truly difficult for me becuase heat does something to me mentally…..like an opposite SAD-Seasonal Affective Disorder that occurs when it is hot!!) and then just plan to stay up all night dripping water from faucets and then spending the next day carrying thawed out water to animals and bundling up like Ralphie from A Christmas Story during the freezes that have been happening in December-February! Just make plans to accept these inconveniences as a part of daily life on the farm. Then move on.

The third thing God is definitely showing me right now: Slow it down. In all areas of life. Slow down your pace with your daily work. Slow down your pace while you complete your farm chores. Slow down in order to notice beautiful things happening in the midst of the chores. Slow down in order to enjoy the farm and the animals more. Slow down while eating meals. Slow down while out running errands. Usually, my mind is racing ahead thinking of what needs to be done and my anxious thoughts eclipse the current moment on many occasions. I’m learning to hold back those thoughts and let the sun shine on the current moment…..not to let my mind wander to the future….which is a tendency for my mind to always be moving forward with anxious thoughts and scenarios.

I hope you are all encouraged to evaluate your daily life and make some changes to help adjust your expectations along the way. We are all struggling and trying our very best to create the life we have always dreamed about so don’t allow the struggle to eclipse the journey. Take time to enjoy the small moments of victory and joy that inevitably appear throughout the day. Perhaps it was a thoughtful message from a cherished friend. A beautiful bird landing right outside your window. A stunning sunset at the end of a hard day. All of these things must be equally considered as meaningful events of your day. God frequently sends these little reminders that He sees you, loves you, and understands your struggles. Spend time reflecting on those small, but beautiful, moments of life at the end of each day, too.

Friends, thank you for being a part of our journey to become successful farmers on Green Acres. It has truly been a blessing and an honor that so many people follow along each month. Our website is viewed on average around 4,000 times a month so I know that many of you are strangers to me, but I am thankful that you visit our farm via out website. I hope I can add some encouragement and joy to your days!!