Since I've written the opening greeting I've....made 30 loaves of whole wheat bread, packed 56 large shares of squash, made zucchini pizzas with Italian sausage and onions, feed 11 people, discovered the oven's gas was turned off while baking the first 15 loaves of bread (must have been on a dab since I sort of baked it and it never baked well, cleaned up a messy kitchen, put two little ones down for a nap, posed for a picture by a long row of tables with tomatoes cupped up on them...and soooo much more that all mothers do every day. My life is full.
My life has been REALLY full this past week. Since the boys want to include strawberry jam in your shares again soon I made 150, 8 oz. jars along with 48 jars of my new jalepeno squash relish. Then my week got really busy. Wednesday we started to get ready for our Crossville market. This farmer's market is really cool! Most of all the buying and selling is done online between Sunday and Tuesday night. Then the bakers, farmer's and herbalists get a list of all that they sold and begin to prepare. We were grinding corn into the best tasting cornmeal when...EEEEERRRRRRRRIIIIIKKKKKKKKKKEEEEEEE! That sound from an electric mill means only one thing...the teeth that grind the grain have hit something hard and the mill is lost. Thankfully it has a lifetime warranty, so back to Utah it goes! But that left us with a MAJOR dilemma...there is A LOT of flour to be ground for bread shares and the market with no mill! I had a overwhelming sense of peace after sending a cry heavenward and as I prayed for Farmer Steve to have wisdom in what to do. He took an older hand mill and hooked up the motor from his band saw on it and we were in business once again...MUCH SLOWER, but able to mill again. So if you receive a bread share each week, the appearance and feel of the bread is different. The wheat was ground with a hand mill and the flour is a different consistency. I'll get the hang of it and before long our mill will be back from the manufacturer.
Life doesn't always go smoothly. When a multitude of things go wrong, how do you respond? I'm one to get flustered....I can't think as clearly as I'd like. I hate this, so it throws me at Jesus' feet for wisdom and the ability I need to do the MANY tasks He has called me to each day. "Rejoice evermore!" So when there are 15 loaves of bread on my counter that can't be eaten because the propane was turned most of the way off; I need to rejoice in another opportunity to learn patience...actually I've found I need to thank Jesus out loud whenever I feel the rising tide of emotions spurred by mishaps, children, or even my beloved husband. God loves me enough to teach me patiently how to respond as He does to me. Oh, what a patient, loving Saviour He is!
In between all the baking I did this week my family still needed to eat. I pray you are enjoying your shares. We rejoice at the variety of vegetables He is growing on the farm! My refrigerator is bulging with yellow, white and green squashes, green onions that were culled, slicing onions, carrots, cucumbers, egg plant, lettuce, purple, "white", and green bell peppers, jalapenos, and MUCH more! God is so good. While at the market this week I talked with a chef who make New York style pizzas. He was amazed that I was making them on zucchini slices. I bartered a strawberry cake (with our berries!) and granola for supper. I tried a new method of the zucchini pizzas with lunch today...On top of the slightly cooked zucchini place slices of tomato, onion rings, fresh garlic, and finely chopped jalapeno peppers. They were spicy, but GOOOD!!
Life is full for everyone. When "THOSE" life lessons come our way, how should we respond so our family doesn't feel the crisis emotionally? Jesus Christ cries to our hearts, " Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you ." 1 Peter 5:7 ONLY His provision of peace in our emotions and His wisdom for our responses will carry us through. Do you know Him in this intimate of a way? Seek God for salvation...not only will you inherit eternal life, but you will have the blessing of His abiding presence! The Christian life is a vibrant day by day relationship with THE God of this world. We pray you'll seek His face.
Abundant Blessings,
The Farmer's Wife
The Farmer's Wife
"I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away. Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed: for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea; I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness...For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, sayng unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee." Isaiah 41:9b, 10, 13
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