Doors, lights, curtains, Oh My!
Building a barn is crazy!
The farm was hopping yesterday.
So much going on.
There were garage doors being placed, curtains hung, measurements for stalls and new lighting going in.
All at the same time.
Our coffee buddy was hard at work putting finishing touches here and there.
There’s so much work to do.
It’s getting done, day by day.
I can’t look at the whole picture.
I get so overwhelmed.
I can’t see my way through to how it’s going to all get done.
Yet, when I step back and look at how far we’ve come, I’m amazed.
The early Morning hours of October 30, 2017 brought destructive winds which left our barns demolished.
Within a few hours friends and strangers met on our farm to once again be the hands and feet of Jesus to our family.
Tin, boards, rafters and debris were quickly cleared to make way for our cows to safely move through the affected areas.
As the day dawned my farmer and I came to the conclusion that possibly this may be the end to our era of dairy farming.
With heavy hearts, tired bones and a desperate need of coffee intake on my part we gathered around our farm house table.
Our coffee buddy joined us.
As we assessed all the damage and tried to work a plan we marveled at the grace given.
Not one person or animal was harmed.
Nothing that affected milking the cows was damaged.
The storm literally passed in a straight line, right through the end of both barns down to the barn at the house
and finally part of our house roof.
Unbeknownst to us the Oldest Farm girl felt helpless and wanted to do something.
She began a fundraising page.
Donations began pouring in.
Words of encouragement and support filled our social media pages.
We began to wonder if maybe this wasn’t the time to quit.
Maybe this was a time to trust;
to live out the faith we so often speak of.
We’d seen much grace poured out to us after our son was killed and my farmer battled cancer.
We watched as our needs were met time after time.
Maybe this was another example of that.
““““““
Here we are almost 4 months later.
Day by day this barn has been built.
A board at a time.
Each need being met.
When discouragement set in; someone would come to remind us to have hope.
Always hope.
And when I can’t see my way through to how it’s going to all get done; there again is the hope.
Once again, this is a journey I would NOT have chosen.
I’m tired of being in need.
I’m tired of my heart aching.
Yet, I never tire of seeing how God teaches me about His character.
One board at a time.
One day at a time.
Winter is almost over.
The signs are everywhere.
Daylight stretches to the evening hour.
The temperature has been above freezing; reaching to almost 70 one day!
Sap is flowing.
Buds are showing their eager desire to burst forth; not quite yet.
In time.
God’s time.
One board; one lesson at a time.
As crucial as each board is to this barn, so are the lessons we are learning.
May we always be open to receive all that God has for us.
The good; with the difficult.
