Someday... maybe...

And the farm and life would look something like this….

Beef, chicken and pork grown here.  Minus hormones and genetically modified feed, of course!  There will be a hen house and a small barn for the cow, a horse and a small shelter for two pigs.  There’ll be a dog and, I don’t wanna know how many cats!

There will be a store house… a cellar, if you will, with walls lined with shelves of canning jars and supplies, fresh and canned fruit and vegetables and freezers containing meats and other foods for the fall and winter months.  There will be a couple of small homes with porches dotted with pots overflowing with flowers of every color and shade.  Attached to the side of one little abode is a greenhouse which can be accessed from the inside of the house or the outside.  The greenhouse is large and inside you’ll find flowers and fresh vegetables and herbs ready for the picking for tonight’s dinner.  Attached to the other house is a dog yard, a kennel and several sweet yapping puppies ready to distribute joy to whoever passes by.  There is a main house.  It is simple and not too large but full of laughter and love of life.  We have a small yard but big enough to run and play.  Down another path but close to the house there is a large garden just finishing up its summer occupation of growing food for the people who live on the farm.  The orchard is nearby where children are climbing the trees and stealing cherries and apples and fall pears.  There are bushel baskets dotted here and there.  Half full to bursting and ready to be taken to the storehouse to be canned, stored, frozen, prepared for jams and jellies.

There are outbuildings… garages and machine sheds storing old cars, mowers, tillers and snowplows.  The tools are organized and the garages are heated to be comfortable even on the coldest of days.  It’s well lit to almost seem as if the sun is shining.  There are lifts and every necessity for maintaining the vehicles that reside on the property.  Somewhere near the machine sheds is another inconspicuous looking building.  Big barn doors grace the front of the building and a chimney exits the roof.  Upon opening the doors you’ll find a blacksmith’s work place.  Anvils and hammers, stock metal and even a small laser cutter.  Center stage is a gas forge.  The smell is of hot metal shavings that have been grinded off the art projects hanging from the walls and propped against shelves throughout the little shed.  On almost any weekend day you’ll find those doors open for several hours while the fire in the forge is kept hot to make repairs on tools, to give demonstrations to local homeschoolers and to just simply create.

Back in the main farmhouse the kitchen is large, consuming nearly half of the downstairs square footage.  In it resides a large gas stove with a pot filler and large sinks for rinsing, washing and canning.  To one side, the old farm table stands.  There are school books piled up here and there and eraser dust on the benches.  The names of dear ones are carved here and there all over the table.  Fresh baked bread is cooling on the counter as is a fresh batch of homemade strawberry jam.  In the tiny library, an old cat is nestled in on the ancient leather ottoman taking a nap in a ray of sunshine.  There are some books here and there laid open and scattered on table tops.  It is a quiet room with shelves that stretch to the ceiling full of books new and old on almost any subject you would hope for.  A set of encyclopedias line the shelves for easy access and a small secretary sits in the corner ready for use.

Across the hall is the laundry.  Out the door is the line where sheets and towels float gently on the breeze promising to bring the fragrance of the wind indoors for many days to come.  Everyone is about being industrious or taking a break from their day's work.  Tonight is dinner with our families at the main house.  We’ll spend this evening planning and preparing for our coming guests at Thanksgiving.  There is a bunk house located just off the barn and come November it will be full to bursting with cousins telling ghosts stories and staying up all hours of the night!  The trees that frame the farm have been planted specifically for Thanksgiving weekend… they are our Christmas trees.

The family dinners at the main house are always loud and loving.  The table is loaded with more food than even our large family can eat and everyone heads home with leftovers.  We love that their homes are just down the path!  I go out as the stars gather for their nightly dance and collect eggs.  Overwhelmed by God’s grace, mercy and provision, I stop and raise my hands to the sky glorying in the way the breeze seems to flow through my very soul.  It’s just what we wanted, God!  It’s everything we’ve hoped for and yet so much more!  To share this life with our loved ones and to soak up each moment with them.  We do so appreciate the opportunity that you’ve given us and we hope that each day we will embrace that and show each other love and allow each other failures because God, we can do no less than what you have done for us.

Amen.