Trust

It's easy to have faith when you have a safety net. When you can tell in advance that things will work out and the uncertainty is small. It's when it looks like you might come up short that the proverbial rubber meets the road. Sometimes my faith gets too small for God. I worry about the what-ifs, and it affects not only my trust in my Provider but also my sense of peace and patience with the rest of the world. Makes me harder to live with, I'm pretty sure.

This time my worries stemmed from what I see here on the farm this fall in relation to the coming winter and spring for grazing. This year provided another learning experience about high stock density grazing in terms of weed control. I think I know some changes to make next year for reducing weed pressure, but in the meantime this summer's unbelievable crop of cockleburs reduced the grass supply in many pastures (for some more thoughts on this, click on the "Cockleburs" article on our website). I knew we had enough grass to feed the cows here on the home farm until we stop milking in early December. At that point, most of the herd will be moved three miles up the road for winter grazing. My concern was whether eating all that up now would leave us with enough pasture to graze the young stock and bulls here all winter, not to mention the necessary stockpiled pasture when the cows come home in March.

So last week this was all getting me pretty down, and I wanted to trust God to provide but didn't know what I should do in the meantime. I mean, should I sell some cows, or what?

Dad was away last week in Maryland helping my brother Jess prepare for moving into his new house right before a week-long mission trip to Mexico. His perspective on trust after returning from that visit helped me quite a bit. Jess has been learning to completely surrender to the Lord and trust Him for everything. In this instance, he was in the final week of an extended fast. Physically he was weak and could literally do next to nothing in his strength. The human perspective might say he was killing himself. The spiritual perspective might say, "My power is perfected in weakness." (2 Cor 12:9) Jess knew without a doubt that since the Lord had called him to this fast he could trust Him to provide anything he needed.

Now I am not claiming to be exceptionally good at always hearing the Lord correctly, nor am I obedient to His voice without fail. I get it right sometimes, but sometimes my flesh gets in the way. That said, our farm and business has been committed for the Lord's work, and I believe He is leading us in how to manage it and serve people who come our way. This is His project, and we are simply some of His Chosen workers. I think this means that I can say, "God, this is Your baby...it's up to You to make it float!"

Dad reminded me that oftentimes God will take us right up to the brink of what seems to be the impossible before proving to us that "with God, all things are possible." In this case, it really hasn't been looking like there will be enough grass. But I am going to sell a handful of animals that I had already been feeling like I should move on. It won't make a huge difference in the number of mouths to feed, but I have decided that trusting in the Lord beats stewing about the situation. I don't know how He will do it, but I know He will come through.

Since making this choice I have not only felt more at peace, but also sensed Him showing me that He could provide in several different ways. For one, I learned that the number of big round bales up at the winter pasture was nearly 2/3 that of previous years even though the number of acres hayed was more on the order of 1/3 of previous years. Secondly, some pastures here at home are growing even in the cool October and November days, and should be substantial for grazing with the cows in the spring. Additionally, some late-fall warm weather is in the forecast. Whether that just grows more grass or makes the cows eat a little less or both...it's all classified as unexpected provision in my book.

The other day I read Isaiah 12:2, which says, "Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For the Lord God is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation." He is worthy of my praise and my trust, but not simply because of what He does for me--rather, because of Who He is. Like the prophet Habakkuk, I want to honestly say, "Though the fig tree should not blossom, and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive should fail, and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold, and there be no cattle in the stalls, yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength..." (3:17-19a)

Trust. Little word, big concept.

(Awe)Struck

Things are happenin', I tell ya. Happenin' enough to get two posts out of me in a month...and the month is only half over!

The past six weeks have consisted of activities ranging from dehorning, castrating, and weaning calves to shucking sweet corn and making apple cider. Not only do many hands make lighter work, they also make it possible to get more done! It's probably been three years since we last made apple cider. How sweet it is...

We have three apprentices who have been here since the beginning of September. Jason and Kate are a husband and wife team gaining experience in different agricultural sectors in advance of operating their own farm one day, and Sarah is learning the art of cheesemaking in pursuit of adding value to her family's operation. God has definitely blessed us with their presence, and as seems to be a common theme around here, our paths crossing has purposes that go beyond the surface of agricultural interests. Sometimes those purposes are revealed quickly and sometimes it takes a while to unshroud the mystery.

Have you ever had something really big happen in your life and you know there's more to it than you can grasp at the time? Well, I had one of those happen last Thursday afternoon. Sarah and I were finishing up the afternoon chores. We each sloshed our way to separate pastures on that rainy afternoon to give each group of cows some more grass. It had been raining lightly most all day, and there were a couple of light rumbles of thunder as we headed from one pasture to the others. There was no lightning to be seen and the thunder didn't seem very threatening, which is why I chose to continue on with the work and get it done since we were already wet. The gentle, even chilly, rain pattered on my raincoat in an almost comforting--though not necessarily comfortable, since I was still getting wet underneath--way, lulling me into oblivion.

Now, I like weather. Watching the weather, knowing what conditions are coming, and all that. And working outside most of my life has taught me a few things about the predictability...and the unpredictability...of nature. Last Thursday showed me that apparently the unpredictability is supposed to help keep us humble. As I walked across that pasture setting up the fence for the next day's break for the heifers, all of a sudden a crack and flash exploded close enough to me that the fence picked up the current. Almost instantly the charge lept from the electric fence reel I held to my hand and out through my foot. Remember how on Home Alone the tall gangly thief named Marv grabbed the electrified appliance and uncontrollably screamed like a girl? Well, there were no "earwitnesses" close enough to hear or duplicate the sound I made, but I definitely yelled. Maybe just not quite as long or as high-pitched as Marv! And it either knocked me down or else I dropped because I didn't want to get hit again. It all happened in a VERY short amount of time, so it was hard to process it all as it happened!

As I processed the thought that I had just been struck by lightning and took a quick survey of my physical state, my next thought was an incredulous "I'm still alive and not burned up?" My hand was quite numb/tingly and it felt deformed. I started praying almost immediately. Maybe because that's the kind of response a close encounter with such raw power elicits. When I read about people like Ezekiel and Daniel who were visited by the Lord, or angels, they immediately fell on their face. Isaiah's encounter brought humility and repentance. I have been more humbled since hearing that a man in Illinois was killed by lightning while taking care of his cows that day. It was another reminder of how undeservedly great His mercy is towards me!

I was able to call Dad on my phone (with my other hand), so he came and got me (he was almost faster than the lightning!), then we went to get Sarah in the other pasture. The feeling slowly started returning to part of my fingers, and by the next day most of the effects were pretty well gone. There was a slight burn on the arch of my foot where the electricity exited my body, and within the reddened area was a mark--a perfect letter K. I thought maybe God was saying, "Just in case you forgot who you are..." Or perhaps it simply shows that God's touch is personalized.


Nowhere in the Bible do I remember any mention of lightning that pertains to anything evil or having to do with Satan. If it's there I've not seen it yet. But over and over again lightning accompanies God's presence or signifies his power or glory. That night as I lay thinking about what had happened I suddenly wanted to read some passages in the Bible that talked about lightning. So I looked some verses up and started reading. The second one I found was in Job 36:32-33...
"He covers his hand with the lightning, and commands it to strike the mark. Its noise declares concerning him, and the cattle also, concerning what is coming up."
Talk about getting my attention! God speaks to those who are listening, those who are willing to seek out His mysteries. Jesus spoke in parables all the time when he was teaching the crowds, and it was those closest to him who sought the meaning within the parables. I have a feeling this lightning strike might be part of a mystery He's beckoning me to seek out. "For it is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings to search it out." (Proverbs 25:2)

The Spiritual Sandwich

When I first started this blog, I envisioned using it to keep fresh news of happenings on the farm in front of inquiring minds. I guess other than the fact that I've been intermittent at posting regularly, that's what I've done, but it's kind of taking a different direction presently. If I continually write about cows and cheese this could get redundant. But if I write about what God is doing through cows and cheese, the adventure ramps up considerably!

As I mentioned in the last post, God does things in the natural to reveal the spiritual. Well, I was reading a verse in Isaiah the other day and saw something pretty cool. The verse was in chapter 55, verse 11. A great promise in and of itself, but it was what the Lord said through the prophet before and after it that revealed a magnificent pattern...

"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth, And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
For you will go out with joy, And be led forth with peace; The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, And all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
Instead of the thorn bush the cypress will come up; And instead of the nettle the myrtle will come up; And it will be a memorial to the Lord, For an everlasting sign which will not be cut off."
Isa 55:10-13

Did you catch the physical, natural example in the rain watering the earth? With a physical purpose, to perpetuate life. God says, just like that, that's how it is with my word (Jesus is called the Word!). That right there is worthy of plenty of meditation (the meat of any sandwich takes more to digest than the bread that surrounds it). But fast forward for now to verses 12 and 13. I noticed He said, "For YOU will go out..." Maybe Isaiah was prophetically speaking of Jesus. But maybe, just maybe, the YOU refers to all of us who know this Creator, Speaker, Author God through the Word and Spirit. Regardless, "YOU" will go out with joy, FORTH with peace (his word goes FORTH from his mouth...perhaps He "speaks" us into mission).

Now get this...when "YOU" goes forth, the physical world responds! Mountains and hills shout for joy (don't ask me what this sounds like!) and trees clap. But what is more, those thornbushes and nettle--painful plants which are often part of the natural succession from wilderness to Eden--give way to the cypress and myrtle. If I did a study on those two plants there would be even more insights into the promises of God, I'm sure. Maybe you could call this sandwich Big Mac style, since just when you thought you found the edge of the sandwich you discover this piece of bread just leads to another layer (and that's where the similarity to the Big Mac ends)! I will claim this promise for the natural world in faith that we will see healing and increased fertility in our pastures and on our farm. But I claim this promise for my soul as well, as those difficult, prickly and painful circumstances God leads me through are sometimes a necessary evil for my own journey to true wholeness.

One of the bottom lines is that the Father desires and plans to bring healing and restoration to the physical world, but there is a spiritual connection that will come first. And before that He very well may share what He wants to do with those of His children who are willing to slow down enough to observe the world around them.

Right now as I type, a song is playing on my computer about restoration. The words hold incredible promise: "You take my mourning and turn it into dancing...You take my weeping and turn it into laughing...You take my mourning and turn it into dancing...You take my sadness and turn it into joy! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! You make all things new! You make all things new!" The word has been spoken. I can believe that it will be accomplished. So the lingering question is, am I living in a way that is causing the mountains to shout for joy? Some food for thought...chew carefully.

Baptized

I just realized the last time I posted was on the one-year anniversary of the biggest flood these parts have seen in I don't know how long. On my way home from the Traders Point farmer's market that Friday evening in June there were times when it was hard to see the road through the wall of water falling from the sky. The ensuing 10 inches overnight on already-saturated ground resulted in water where most people had never seen it!
We were some of the more fortunate ones. A couple of flooded basements to clean up and refurbish, and life goes on as usual. Well, maybe "usual" is a thing of the past.
Last fall God brought a family into our lives for mutual ministry. They needed a place to stay while waiting for the Lord to fulfill their calling to ministry on a Reservation in the state of Washington. They opened our eyes to more of what God is doing and helped us grow closer to Him. Their stay here ended up being a year (minus a week or two). Armed with their few possessions and faith in a sovereign God but no contacts for anyone out in Washington, they have called to tell us the amazing ways in which God has led them on their journey to the right people. Though they told no one there they were coming, upon meeting the leaders of the reservation our friends were told, "We've been expecting you."
This summer a family from New Zealand forever left their imprint on the lives of many in Clay City. Andy and Claire and their four children wanted to experience life in a community during their stay in America, and the nearly 3 months they spent in our town gave them the chance to do just that. It was another of those path-crossings that I know wasn't by accident. The relationships begun here will continue, and the full extent of the purpose of our meeting is yet to be discovered.
The other day I was setting up a portable fence for the cows in a pasture near the barn. In this pasture is a tree that has been dead for years. So dead all the little twigs and branches have long fallen off and there is a hole at the base almost big enough to crawl through. So dead I have worried that one day it might fall on a cow grazing innocently nearby. Naturally, I checked on the tree as I set up the fence and stared in disbelief at what I saw...
New life has shattered the reign of death! Unmistakable in parallel, that is the message of the gospel we wrap our lives around. Our God is a God of new life, of resurrection, of hope! He left the perfection of heaven to live as a man named Jesus on this sin-stained earth in order to prove his love for us. He showed us by example the only path to true life. And it involves death. He gave his life because He loves (John 3:16). He sacrificed because he knew what joy awaited (Hebrews 12:2). He asks us to do no less, but the reward is just as great. We can live for ourselves, or we can give ourselves away and really live. So many people have been wounded by the brokenness in this world and just want to know someone cares. And someone does. And He's (at least in part) relying on those who have experienced His healing touch to show them that life can and does come from death.
One thing the family who lived here this past year told us many times is that God does things in the natural realm first to explain the spiritual. Could it be that the floodgates are being opened for the waters of cleansing? The immersion that results may look curiously like death, but resurrection is not far behind. I think we've been baptized.

The time-space continuum

People always say, the older you get the faster time goes. I have a theory that time really is speeding up. I just googled "time-space continuum", and noticed on Wikipedia's link that "the rate at which time passes depends on an object's velocity relative to the speed of light and also on the strength of intense gravitational fields , which can slow the passage of time." Humans go a lot faster than they used to, thanks to planes, trains, and automobiles. We've been pretty intent on besting gravity for the last century, too. With only a little bit of faith, one might even surmise that we as a human race are responsible for how swiftly or slowly time passes based on the pace of our activity. Also, I guess if you don't want your kids to grow up so fast you might consider moving closer to a black hole.

This may have seemingly little to do with cows and cheese, but as I sat down to write this afternoon and realized I have yet to create more than one blog entry in a single month's time I had to marvel once more that we are already a week into June. May was very busy, but that had little to do with calving. Only 7 calves were born the whole month, and two of those were on the last two days. So like it or not, my calving window closed a little earlier this year because of the age gap in the calves. I have some nice calves to sell now, though, sired by our new bull.

The grazing is going pretty well so far. We're trying to manage the pastures in a way that builds up soil fertility through trampled mature forages. This is not only beneficial for the soils, but the cows' digestive systems work more optimally, and the densely covered pastures provide a good deal more drought tolerance by holding in more moisture. On the flip side, there is more erosion protection during heavy rains as well. This year's experimenting will focus on trying to find the best balance in trampling forage and maintaining a little better milk production than last summer. The summer heat waves that usually come may have the final word on milk production though!

And a partridge in a pear tree

This has been one of those weeks you can almost sing about to the tune of The Twelve Days of Christmas. Between the regular daily cow chores (and it was only one maid a-milking, not 7), we entertained third graders from 5 schools in Clay County on farm tours (thanks to Farm Bureau's sponsorship of Farming in the Classroom), went to three farmers' markets, made two batches of cheese, separated cream for butter, and took a calf to church (well, that's tomorrow). The children's ministry is featuring some lessons with a cow theme and Deb thought having a real calf there would make for a great prop (I hope the kids can come outside, because this prop will poop). I told Cristina the cow that she was going to have a holy baby because he was going to church this weekend. I don't think she was impressed.
So far this spring 50 cows have had calves. Hopefully a few more will deliver before the end of the month, and then I will have newborn calves to sell beginning in June. The calves have done very well this year. Numbers are down a bit, but perhaps what is lacking in quantity will be made up with quality!

Back in the Saddle Again

The whirlwind of activity has resumed around here. The first calf was born on March 22, two days after I had left for Mississippi with a team of people to do hurricane relief work. We named her Cajun, in honor of my whereabouts! No babies were even due until I returned, but some just couldn't wait, as there were a handful that made their appearance before I arrived back home. As of this morning I think the latest count is 42 calves.

Today the first batch of 2009 cheese--Colby-- is in the works. Everyone was so excited about getting milk and butter again that the cheese just had to wait until now.

I've been learning about web design this month, too. It's amazing how God provides what we need when we need it. We met a new friend through pursuing advertising with the Terre Haute Tribune Star who helped me immensely with updating our website, and I actually understand enough to do it myself now! It's very gratifying to have the capability to make changes whenever the need arises now. Many thanks to Mike!

With a somewhat slow, cool start to spring for most of March and April, I have that much more appreciation for the recent warmth and the resulting growing grass, blooming trees, and smells of spring. It truly is my favorite time of year!

Party Till the Cows Come Home!

Most of our herd spends the winter about 3 miles down the road on another piece of land. To minimize stress on the animals, we walk them there and back instead of loading them into trailers for such a short trip. This process has become known as our semi-annual "cattle drive." In actuality, it is more along the lines of a cow walk, but the former sounds more adventurous! To pull this grand event off, we gather friends and neighbors to act as living fence posts, walking alongside the cows while holding a strand of fence which the cows believe is electric. This forms a moving rectangle, and most of the time everything goes off without any hitches!
It's nearly time for the cows to come back home before they begin calving. Saturday March 14th at the Swiss Connection will bring lots of good old-fashioned fun, food, and fellowship!

21st Century or Bust!

Though we have had a website for The Swiss Connection for several years now, technology is not our strongest suit. Keeping the site updated and fresh is a constant challenge. To attempt a less-complicated way of sharing with you new information about what's going on around here more regularly, I'm embarking on my first-ever blogging experience! Stay tuned for news about cows, cheese, and all kinds of delicious, nutritious products!