It’s Been Called A Sufferfest.

It is easy to get discouraged in the journey of life; a sufferfest, to use a word I read the other day.
Money, time, relationships can all be a drain.
Sometimes the hits come repeatedly and you find yourself barely hanging on.
You cry out to the Lord.
You reach out to friends.
You watch the sunset.
You work to restore your aching soul.

Grief continues to be like that; an ebb and flow in a sea of life.
Unpredictable. 
Some days the memories bring great joy and comfort.
Other days the memories are a haunting reminder of what has been lost.
These past few weeks have been that roller coaster of emotions for me.
The stabbing pain of missing my oldest son.
The stark reality of his absence.
The very presence of a Holy God reaching in to comfort me.
The ache of things that will never be.
The work to rest in the plan that is not my own.

We are planning the  first ever ETD Leatherneck Scramble. 

A 5k race through our farm.

Much planning has gone into this event.
It is spearheaded by our oldest farm girl.

It is the first year, so we have expected entries to be low in numbers.
We just want to have some fun.
Our oldest farm boy was in training to become a United Stated Marine.
He was expected to leave for boot camp on his 18th birthday, September 2, 2013.
God had different plans for our red head and called him home on July 28, 2013. 
One night a week during the summer he had been training in town with a group of recruits.
We repeatedly heard how encouraging Elijah was to others as they challenged themselves physically.

We want to offer that same kind of encouragement and fun here on the farm.
Registration has been slow.
Time has moved on and the reality of a life without Elijah is real.
We were feeling a bit discouraged about this whole event and then God showed up with a message for us.
This was posted on someone’s Facebook post.
It took my breath away, made me laugh, and reminded all of us that God is in control.
Our purpose is to be obedient. 
God will do the rest. 

We pray you are encouraged by these words.

Talk about out of my comfort zone… I’m out of shape. I haven’t run any appreciable distance in months. I haven’t seen the course layout. The obstacles could be insane. I have no desire to run around a farm field on a hot summer day. Did I mention that I’m out of shape? I don’t want to be last on yet another race.. Then Wilson throws this blog out on the internet. I follow the LHRL podcast and find inspiration in it. I find inspiration in the blogs sometimes, too. This one could have been stamped, “Sign up for the damn race.”…… So I did. Regardless of the excuses I have to stay inside my comfort zone, I signed up for the First Annual ETD Leatherneck Scramble. To get outside that bubble of “safety” and to try something new in order to support the ETD fundraiser. If you’re local, you’re welcome to sign up and join me in this sufferfest! #etd #dosomethingthatscaresyou #lhrl #letsdothis

We challenge you to step out of your comfort zone and join our sufferfest!

Give to a charity that you have been wanting to support.
Step out and do something that you would not normally do.
Find a Sufferfest!
Ask God to equip you to do the things that he wants you to do.

We are all in this journey together.
We each have our own sufferfest.
God is working His purposes and we are his children.

May you be blessed today as you challenge yourself as our son did;
as this person in the post is doing and as I truly strive each day to live differently.

Galatians 6:9
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

If you want to register for the children’s Fun Run or the 5k (Sufferfest)  click here.
http://https://runsignup.com/Race/VT/Jericho/ETDLeatherneckScramble

 

Join us back at the farm for an evening of live music and fun!
Bring you lawn chairs, favorite beverage, and a dish to share.
We will have a farm raised Pig Roast.
Tickets are available on the Farm at the Jericho Country Store and the Richmond Market.
Tickets are free.
Donations accepted at the event.
For more information on the Fundraiser visit our Fundraising Page on our website.